Storms of Fire: The Beginning
by WyvernHandler
Summary: Full summery inside. One minute she's in a normal life where her favourite show is about a time traveling alien: next she's IN that show, where not everything is the same as she remembers. Rated M to be safe. Involves an OC
1. Chapter One: The Power of Three

Okay! So I've had some interest for this fic, so I'm gonna give it a shot! Not much more to say here, only that there is a teaser still up that I posted to see if it was worth posting. So now, here goes!

Summery: One minute she's in a normal life where her favourite show is about a time traveling alien: next she's IN that show, where not everything is the same as she remembers. Not only that, but there are mysteries surrounding herself as she inexplicably jumps from one point to another in that alien's time line. What alien, you ask? The Doctor, of course! Can she figure it out? Will she even survive long enough to do so? Find out! First in the Storms of Fire Saga

The Beginning

Chapter 1: Power of Three

* * *

_Ding!_

A woman in her late twenties with short, dark brown hair, lifted her head, seeing the lit-up words 'Bus Stopping', and moved her hand from the button she had just pressed. Standing up, she carefully made her way to the front of the bus, holding various poles to keep her balance as the vehicle turned the last corner. With a low hum and a puff of air, the bus stopped and the double doors before her slid open with a clatter.

"Thank you," she called to the driver as she stepped off onto the pavement. She pulled the hood of her long, black coat up over her head to shield her from the chilled wind, and began walking. Before she knew it, she was home, closing the door of her small apartment and taking off her coat, shoes and bag. Pulling out her phone, she sighed as she read the newest text message from her friend.

_'Sorry, can't meet up tomorrow after all. Maybe next week?'_

"And again," she murmured, typing a quick_ 'OK' _and sending it before casually tossing her phone onto the sofa as she moved to change. Ten minutes later, she was dressed in a simple pair of white pyjama bottoms and shirt, and she grabbed a cold pasty and a bottle of water from the fridge before setting herself up for the evening.

She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror that hung in the hallway, and she paused. A young woman stared back at her, with short, dark brown hair that just touched her shoulders, slightly ragged as she had cut it herself recently. Her face was almost heart shaped, but slightly longer, with pale skin that still gave her acne when she got stressed, and she had the faint signs of bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.

Speaking of her eyes, they were a pale blue that most mistook for grey or silver unless they looked hard. Not that she'd let them; she didn't like people staring at her, especially when she couldn't figure out why.

Another ten minutes later, and after taking her medication, she was curled up in a blanket on her sofa, munching on the pasty as she watched one of her favourate sci-fi tv shows. What else? Doctor Who.

So far, she was almost caught up with season 9 of what fans called 'New-Who'.

This was all she needed. She didn't have many friends. Her job was a simple one that left her not rich but comfortable. At the end of the day, she was content to just lay here and watch her favourate show.

But that was about to change, as she dozed off partway through the episode. It was all about to change...

* * *

The first thing her mind registered was a burning sensation throughout her whole body, like liquid fire was bubbling just under her skin. Her eyes refused to open, and she felt like she hadn't moved for ages, but she couldn't tell if she was moving her fingers when she tried.

"Oh, my god!"

What was that? A voice? Female, maybe...

The burning feeling faded, not completely but enough so that it could be ignored if she tried, and she could feel her limbs again. It was still seemingly impossible for her to move, though.

Then someone's hands were on her, trying to be gentle as she was lifted into someone's arms.

"Oh, Ember..." A man's voice now? "So this is where you started..."

Bells... She could hear bells...

There were more voices, but they were further away. It was harder to tell what they were saying over the bells and... Screaming? Someone... No, something... Was screaming...

"D... What's... with her..."

The female she heard before... What was she saying...?

"... can't adjust... Too many... brain can't..."

Who was talking? Where was she...?

"Ember, focus... My voice... Ignore..."

Focus...? She tried to open her eyes, but there was too much light, too much darkness around her...

"No!" Someone's hand covered her eyes, making her close them. "Just... voice! ... else! Focus on..."

She tried to focus on the voice, trying to ignore everything else. The bells, the other voices, the screaming...

"That's it... There you go, Ember... Just my voice..."

The man's voice was becoming clearer, revealing that its owner was the one holding her. He was starting to sound familiar too, but from where?

"Do you know my voice, Ember? Do you know who I am?"

Her mouth was dry, she had to swallow several times before she could even croak out words. "... Who...?"

"It's alright, it'll come to you. Now, try to open your eyes. Just a little, just so you can see me."

The hand moved away from her face, and she tried to open her eyes. The lights and darkness came back, and she tried to look around, but the same hand came back to hold her cheek.

"No, no, just me. Look at me, one thing at a time. Come on, focus on me..."

Blinking, she felt the hand tilt her head, and her blurry vision began making out other colours. Grey...? Black...? It took what felt like forever for her eyes to finally focus enough to reveal that there was a person; the one who was holding her. Grey hair, slightly wrinkled face, dark eyes...

"There you go," the voice came from this face, this man, that was very familiar to her. "Now... Do you know who I am?"

Trying to think was like trying to dive for objects in a pool full of custard: she couldn't think clearly. It took a few moments, but then names started drifting into focus.

"... Peter...? ... Capaldi...?"

The man gave a bemused look. "Ah, that's the actor. I'm not acting here. Try again, come on..."

That wasn't his name? She tried again, taking slightly longer, and another name surfaced...

"Caecilius...?"

"Getting there, in the right world this time. Come on, you can do it..."

She struggled to think again; she was sure that was his name.

_His name... Name... No, Title... Vow. He chose it... He chose..._

"... Doc...tor...?"

The man smiled brightly this time. "Yes, yes! That's it!"

"Doctor? What's happening?"

The female voice! She tried to turn her head to look, but the man held her firm, but gently.

"Clara, hush!" He whisper-shouted to somewhere behind her. "She still needs to adjust! Oh, this explains why she didn't want to come down here!"

What? The lights were coming back, and her vision started blurring again.

"Look, no scar!" The man was saying, his thumb briefly touching her face before the hand moved to brush her left bicep. "No Mark! This is before everything!"

What were they talking about? What scar? What Mark? What...?

"... Help..."

The man's hand returned to her face. "Oh, Ember... I wish I could... But it's not time yet. Your journey is just starting. Come on, you need to focus. You need to go."

"... Go... where...?"

"It's going to be alright. You're going to be okay... But focus, I know you can do it. You need to go now."

She tried to move. Her limbs were starting to respond now, albeit sluggishly, and she felt the arms of the man leave her. "W-wait... Don't go..."

"I'll be right with you, Ember, I promise. I'll _always_ be there."

She wanted to ask what he meant, but then the burning sensation started building again, not as painful but too much for her to ignore. "Ah... What's..."

The man was saying something, but she could no longer tell what. The burning was overpowering all of her senses...

* * *

When it faded after what felt like forever, she could tell instantly that she was somewhere else. The floor was not stone anymore, something she hadn't realised she'd noticed, but was instead glass. As the burning feeling faded again, this time completely, she rested her cheek against the cool glass and tried to take deep breaths. She realised her senses were coming back a little bit quicker this time, allowing her to focus on more than one thing at a time without sending her into a spin. The noises around her seemed random: a dinging that reminded her of a bus, machinery, buzzing... Humming? Wherever she was, it was sure active.

"Ember!"

A man's voice made her jerk her head up, only for her to fall back from the momentum. Luckily it seemed there was a leather seat behind her that helped brace her as she suddenly found herself in someone's embrace.

Her eyes finally adjusted, taking in her surroundings, but she instantly questioned what she saw.

There was a huge, hexagonal control panel right in front of her, fitted with instruments that didn't seem to belong: a typewriter, hot and cold taps, a gramophone, an actual phone, and others. Her mind, which had screeched to a halt, finally supplied her with where she was.

The TARDIS, during the era of the 11th Doctor!

Speaking of, the Doctor was the one holding her now, tweed jacket and bow tie included. His hair was slightly longer than it was at the beginning of this incarnation, meaning this was further along, and he was rambling as he seemed to be examining her while trying to hug her at the same time.

"Body temperature ten degrees lower than average, no Mark," He gently took her chin and turned her head slightly. "No scar, never seen this outfit before, must be early in your timeline, and you've never been so quiet."

The last part was directed at her as he looked her in the eye, the smile on his face finally falling into a confused frown. "Ember? Are you alright? Where did you just come from?"

"...Why...?"

"Huh?" The man said, puzzled. "Why what?"

She finally cleared her throat and look at him. "Why are you calling me that?"

"Calling you what? Ember?"

"Yes, that! Why are you calling me that? That's not my name! My name is..." She paused, then frowned, her blue-grey eyes becoming unfocused. "My name... My name is..."

The Doctor looked like he was trying to be patient, but it was obvious that he was practically vibrating as he waited. His frown deepened as she began to shake.

"My name... I don't... What is my name...?"

"Ember," the Doctor tried, but she jumped and tried to back crawl away from him, pressing her back against the seat behind her.

"No, that's not my name! But... But why can't I remember?!"

Sensing she was about to have a panic attack, the Doctor quickly moved forward and scooped her up into his arms, easily brushing off her attempts to push him away. "It's ok, it's ok... Try to breathe, now. Deep breaths, come on..."

It took several minutes, but she eventually brought her breathing under control, allowing the Doctor to hold her with her back against his chest. His arms came around her waist, holding her right hand in both of his and gently rubbing it in a surprisingly gentle and soothing motion.

"... Why are you calling me Ember...?" She finally asked, her voice quiet.

The Doctor sighed. "You're right. It isn't your real name. But I don't know your real name either. You've never told me. I'm not even sure if you ever remembered. But Ember... Is the name you chose to have. At least, that's what you've told me."

"I told you... ?" She - Ember - repeated, confused as she looked down at her hand in his. "But... This can't be real..."

"Ah, I see..." The Doctor mused, and Ember wasn't sure if she correctly heard the disappointment in his voice. "What's the last thing you remember doing before you were here?"

"I was..."

_Bells. Screaming. Voices. Peter. Caecilius. Twelve..._

"Future," she mumbled. "Somewhere in the future... But I can't remember where..."

The Doctor nodded. "And before that...?"

Ember frowned. "I was at home... I fell asleep, I think..."

"I see. And before you ask; no, this is not a dream. I'm sorry, Ember, but this is all real." The Doctor shifted so that he could look at her face. "I can't tell you everything, but everything has changed. This world, the world you thought was fiction, is real. I don't know if the world you knew before was a dream or another dimension or an illusion, but..."

"You're kidding..." Ember looked around in disbelief. "I just... Appeared here?"

The Doctor shrugged. "More like jumped. It's the best description we have to explain it. You jump, from one time and place to another, completely without your control or mine. The only thing I can tell you for sure is that you somehow move up and down my timeline."

Ember slowly pulled away from him and stood up, albeit shakily, and walked a few feet away from him. "This sounds like some weird fanfiction..."

"Fanfiction?" The Doctor repeated, puzzled, before his eyes widened in understanding. "Ah, stories made by fans of shows and films and the like. You told me about this before."

"Let me guess," Ember said with a laugh that was almost hysterical. "I'm secretly a Time Lord too, right? That's what most of them do..."

"No, you're not," The Doctor said, then paused, then looked sheepish. "Well, not completely..."

"Not completely? Then what else am I? Human? Sycorax?" Ember shivered. "... Dalek?"

The Doctor looked mortified. "No! No, definitely not Dalek! But... You're part Time Lord, I can't tell you how much, and part... I can't tell you that either."

Ember swallowed hard. "Do you even know...? When do I find out?"

"From my point of view? We found out at the same time, a very long time ago. From yours; nowhere near as long, but... A little while yet."

There was a long pause. Ember looked around, trying to take it all in. The Doctor looked like he wanted to do something but wasn't sure if he could or should.

"This really isn't a dream..." Ember finally murmured. "This is the real TARDIS... You're really the Doctor..." she glanced around again, catching herself in the reflection on a shiny piece of metal. She frowned when she saw that her hair was longer, going just below her shoulder blades, and she now wore a simple white shortsleeved top and white trousers that were not what she remembered wearing before. They looked like white scrubs, and she was barefoot. _When did I change clothes?"_

"Ember..." The Doctor slowly stepped forward, like she was a frightened deer that would bolt at the first sign of danger. "I'm going to tell you something that might help you, ok?" He waited until she nodded. "When I met you for the first time, I didn't believe you were real. It was before I even met Rose. You did something that helped me not only to believe that you were real, but also helped me begin to let myself heal, even if I didn't realise it at the time. If you want, I can show you how you did that."

Ember paused, watching him carefully, before she nodded again. The Doctor slowly approached her, keeping his movements slow and clear so that she could change her mind if she wanted. He reach her without trouble, and he gently placed his arms around her shoulders, pausing at the slight flinch she gave. He waited another few seconds before gently pulling her to him, tucking her head under his chin so that her ear rested against his chest.

"Close your eyes," he murmured gently. "And listen..."

She did so, and after a moment, she heard it: four steady beats coming from this man's chest, and she blinked in shock. She could hear his _two hearts_.

"... I did this?" She asked, puzzled. She felt him nod against her, and she placed a hand against her own chest, only to frown as she could only feel one heartbeat. "But... I've only got one..."

"Your body is still adjusting," The Doctor explained. "It won't take too long. Oh!" He jerked up, almost making Ember fall over, and turned her to face him. "Until your second heart kicks in, you'll need to do this to show me you're you!"

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers. Nothing happened for a few moments and Ember was about to ask what he was doing, when suddenly her body shivered as _something_ went through her. It was like she could sense the universe itself all around her, the very air molecules she was breathing, the nerves in her brain sending and receiveing signals...

Wait, no... not hers... _His_.

"Easy, Ember..." The Doctor's voice gently reached her ears. She vaguely realised that he'd pulled back slightly, but she'd followed him to keep the connection. It was almost addicting.

"What... is that...?" She asked.

The Doctor smiled. "Me. It's me."

Ember took a moment to clear her head as she leaned back away from him. "What do you mean, you?"

"Time Lords. We're unique from all other species. As you know, I can see the timelines. What must be, could be and must not. What you just felt is what a Time Lord is in their core. As your body readjusts to your Time Lord DNA, you'll be able to show me and other Time Lords that you are one as well."

Ember furrowed her brown in thought. "Do all Time Lords feel like that?"

The Doctor shrugged. "In a sense, yes. But there's a tiny spark in there that's different from everyone else's, so if you've felt them before, you can recognise specific ones."

"Okay..." that was something she'd have to file away for later. She'd noticed he was fiddling with things on the console. "So... where are we?"

"Heading for Earth, actually," the Doctor seemed to burst into motion, grinning away as he piloted his ship. "We're dropping in on the Ponds!"

"Just for a visit?"

The Doctor paused, then shrugged. "Well, the Tardis picked up something odd happening on Earth, so I thought I'd take a look at that too."

"What did she find?"

"Let's find out." With a shudder the ship finally reached its destination, and the Doctor bounced to the doors. Ember quickly caught up, only to look around in confusion.

It was a perfectly normal street, with normal houses and normal gardens and normal cars. What was not normal were the thousands upon thousands of black cubes that littered almost every surface they could balance on: every window ledge, the ground, the cars, in bushes, on the grass; they were everywhere.

The Doctor had parked the Tardis right next to a play ground, and it didn't take long for him to scurry off to it and climb up some metal frame. Perched at the top, he grabbed the nearest cube and eyed it closely, pulling out a magnifying glass.

Ember took a moment before it clicked. "Power of Three." She liked this episode because of the randomness, and wondered where she would fit into it. With a shrug, she walked over to stand at the bottom of the climbing frame to look up at the Doctor. "Well? Think this is what the Tardis picked up?"

"Doctor! Ember!"

The two looked up to see none other than Amy and Rory Williams looking at them from the street, both clad in dressing gowns and Rory's father stood next to them.

"The invasion of the very small cubes." Ember glanced up at the Doctor's voice, only to blink in puzzlement at the interested gaze he'd set upon her. "That's new. Any hints?"

"Hints? I give hints?"

The Doctor shrugged as he proceeded to come down from the climbing frame. "Sometimes. Either that or you give me a vague idea of how bad the situation will be. That's based on how the 'episode' goes. I don't always get it until later, but eh..."

Ember looked around at all the cubes. "What if for example I tell you everything about the cubes. They're dangerous, you already suspect that. But say I tell you where they're from, who brought them, why, etc. That way you can have them disposed of before anything happens."

"Two things could happen if you did that." The Doctor replied. "One: nothing happens. We get rid of the boxes, the big plan is foiled and we have a lovely afternoon with the Ponds. Two: the people behind this plan sees that we know what's going to happen, and set off the big plan early, and things go bad."

Ember bit her lip, a troubled look on her face.

The Doctor noticed this and put his hands on her shoulders, getting her attention. "Ember, here's a spoiler for you: there are times where you're going to try to change something that happened in the show. Say for example, you try to stop a person from dying. One of two results will follow: either that person lives without a hitch, or time twists so that they die anyway. It's up to you to figure out when you can change something and when you can't."

"So both results have happened at some point." Ember mused. "But how can I tell? How will I know when I have to allow someone to die? How do I manage to just stand there and let it happen?"

"I'm afraid you never told me that," the Doctor answered with a grim smile. "But you try. That's all I can ask for, and I'm grateful to have you by my side regardless."

Ember gave a small smile. She opened her mouth to speak when she was cut off by an impatient Amy.

"Are you two coming in or not? There's a draft!"

The Doctor grinned and pulled her along, back into the Tardis so he could move it across the road and into the house that Amy and Rory lived in. He was quick to hug each of them in turn as they entered, and Ember was surprised when Amy turned and hugged her as well.

"What are you wearing?"

Amy's question had Ember looking down at the white scrubs she didn't remember changing into. "I woke up in this."

"It looks familiar," the Doctor said. "Though I don't know why."

"You'll figure it out," Ember replied.

Amy paused, looking at Ember closely. "Wait, your scar... it's gone..."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "It's not gone, Pond. It just hasn't happened yet for her."

"What scar?" Ember asked, raising a hand to touch her face gingerly. She recalled Twelve saying something about a scar, and Eleven earlier. "I get a scar? When? How?"

There was a pregnant pause as the group before her looked everywhere but at her. The Doctor took the chance and changed the subject.

"All absolutely identical. Not a single molecule's difference between them. No blemishes, imperfections, individualities."

Brian spoke up. "What if they're bombs? Billions of tiny bombs? Or transport capsules maybe, with a mini robot inside. Or deadly hard drives. Or alien eggs? Or messages needing decoding. Or they're all parts of a bigger whole. Jigsaw puzzles that need fitting together."

"Very thorough, Brian." The Doctor said, nodding in approval. "Very, very thorough. Well done. Stay here. Watch these. Yell if anything happens."

He turned and walked to grab a long coil of wire, leaving Brian with two cubes to watch as Amy, Rory and Ember followed the Doctor.

"Doctor, is this an alien invasion? Because that's what it feels like." Amy said, grabbing a box of random junk that the Doctor indicated to her.

"There couldn't be life-forms in every cube," Rory tried to reason. "...could there?"

"I don't know. And I really don't like not knowing." The Doctor stopped at the door and pointed at Ember. "That doesn't mean you should tell me."

"More fun that way?" She asked, raising a brow.

The Doctor grinned at her as he stepped out of the Tardis, having landed it behind the sofa in their living room. "Right, I need to use your kitchen as a lab. Cook up some cubes. See what happens."

Rory looked at his watch. "Right, I'm due at work."

"What?" The Doctor paused where he was filling a saucepan at the sink to look at the man incredulously. "You've got a job?"

"Of course I've got a job. What do you think we do when we're not with you?"

"I imagined mostly kissing."

"Don't confuse our alone time with yours, Doctor," Amy said, to the confusion of Ember: she was sure that wasn't what was said in the show. "I write travel articles for magazines and Rory heals the sick."

"My shift starts in an hour." Rory added as the Doctor added salt and pepper to the saucepan of water. "You don't know where my scrubs are?"

"In the lounge, where you left them."

Ember glanced at where the Doctor was grabbing fiddling with some of the random items and Amy was watching, remembering that this was going to be a bit of a touching moment for the two, and decided it should be private. "I'll, uh, go help him look."

As the brunette turned and left the room, Amy and the Doctor watched her until she was out of sight.

"This is the first time she meets me, isn't it?" Amy asked, her voice soft.

The Doctor sighed. "This is the first time she meets any of us, Amy. This is the very beginning for her. Everything we've... _I've_ been through, she hasn't seen it with her own eyes yet."

Amy looked at him in surprise. "Then she hasn't..."

"No." The Doctor looked at her as he grabbed his magnifying glass again. "This is the very first day. Now, all the Ponds..."

Meanwhile, Ember had walked into the living room, only to squeak and turn around as she caught Rory in the middle of pulling his work shirt on, which meant he was only in his boxers. "Sorry! I forgot you were in your undies!"

Rory didn't seem bothered that he'd been seen, but did look at her in confusion. "It isn't the first time you've seen me in just undies."

"W-what?" Ember would have turned to look at him in surprise, but thought better of it. "I what? You mean... how..."

"Oh, this is the first time," Rory muttered in realisation before he moved to Ember's side, chuckling at the light dusting across her face. "It's alright, really. At least you didn't catch me in my birthday suit. I can't tell you, but trust me. I trust you with my life."

Ember glanced up at him, confused by what he'd said. "Really?"

Rory nodded firmly. "If it wasn't for you, I'd have given up on Amy a long time ago."

"No, no, you can't say that!" Ember stammered. "I haven't done anything..."

"Yet."

That one word had her look at him again, to see how sincere he was. His gaze was firm, and while she was glad he wasn't looking at her like he did at Amy, she was surprised at the affection he showed, almost like a close sibling.

Before she could voice her questions, there was a crash as the front door was literally smashed down. Rory and Ember jumped at the sound, Rory taking a step to the side so he was shielding the young woman as several men in black military outfits stormed in, pointing guns and yelling.

"Clear!" One yelled. "Trap one, kitchen secured."

"You two!" The man at the front called, beckoning to them. "Come with us!"

Rory tensed, surprising Ember with the protective aura practically radiating off him, but she swallowed and gently grabbed his arm, shaking her head. The two then put their hands up as they were marched back into the kitchen, where Amy and the Doctor were also surrounded.

"There are solders all over my house and I'm in my pants," Rory declared dryly.

Amy crossed her arms, looking him up and down. "My whole life I've dreamed of saying that, and I miss it by being someone else."

"I never got that," Ember said quietly, though she tensed as everyone looked at her. "I just didn't get why you'd want to be in that situation."

"All these muscles, and they still don't know how to knock."

Everyone turned at the new voice as a woman with short blond hair and a tan overcoat stepped carefully over the fallen front door and walked up to them. "Sorry about the raucous entrance. Spike in Artron energy reading at this address. In the light of the last twenty four hours, we had to check it out, and the dogs do love a run out. Hello. Kate Stewart, head of scientific research at UNIT. And with dress sense like that..."

She pulled out what looked like a handheld scanner and held it up to the Doctor. The screen on it bleeped a few times and showed an X-ray of his chest, adding on his two hearts.

"You must be the Doctor." Kate finished, lowering the scanner as the Doctor saluted her. "I hoped it would be you." She paused as she looked around, finally noticing Ember who was still being slightly guarded by Rory. "Ah, and Miss Ember herself, if the silver eyes are an indication. Now it's really an honour."

Ember blinked, puzzled. How did her presence there make it an honour?

The Doctor noticed her puzzled look and decided to change the subject. "Tell me, since when did science run the military, Kate?"

"Since me." Kate replied. "UNIT's been adapting. Well, I dragged them along, kicking and screaming, which made it sound like more fun than it actually was."

"What do we know about these cubes?"

At that, Kate's face fell. "Far less than we need to. We've been freighting them in from around the world for testing. So far, we've subjected them to temperatures of plus and minus two hundred Celsius, simulated a water depth of five miles, dropped one out of a helicopter at ten thousand feet and rolled our best tank over it." She sighed as she walked around to the far side of the counter. "Always intact."

"That's impressive." The Doctor mused, though he didn't look happy at the news. "I don't want them to be impressive. I want them vulnerable with a nice Achilles heel."

"We don't know how they got here, what they're made of, or why they're here."

The Doctor plucked a cube from the side. "And all around the world, people are picking them up and taking them home."

"Like iPads have dropped out of the sky." Kate agreed. "Taking them to work, taking pictures, making films, posting them on Flickr and YouTube. Within three hours, the cubes had a thousand separate Twitter accounts."

"Twitter." The Doctor pulled a face, like the social website was an enemy to him.

"I've recommended we treat this as a hostile incursion. Gather them all up and lock them in a secure facility. But that would take massive international agreement and co-operation."

The Doctor straightened, getting the idea. "We need evidence. The cubes arrived in plain sight, in vast quantities, as the sun rose. So, what does that tell us?"

Amy tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "Maybe they wanted to be seen. Noticed."

"Or more than that, they want to be observed. So we observe them. Stay with them round the clock. Watch the cubes, day and night. Record absolutely everything about them. Team cube, in it together." The Doctor picked up a cube and kissed it.

Ember almost smiled, remembering what happened next, before it dawned on her that time skipped four days in the show. Now, she actually had to wait the four days. "Oh, boy..."

* * *

Ember was officially bored.

She, like the others, had waited for the cubes to do something, anything.

Though she herself hadn't resigned to staring at cubes like the others had. She had tried to tell them it wouldn't work, but they kept shushing her or distracting her with something else.

The first thing she did was have a shower and a change of clothes. Those white scrubs were practical, but not comfortable for long term use.

She'd perused the Tardis wardrobe (which really was as big as she'd imagined), and finally settled on a pair of slim, dark blue jeans and a matching denim jacket with a plain purple long sleeved top and a pair of black trainers similar to converse that Ten wore. She only hoped they weren't the actual ones.

The rest of the time was spent lounging around. She had no job to speak of, so she tried to keep herself busy. And get some information about herself from the people around her, but that didn't go so well.

Brian said he'd only met her once before, though he'd described her as 'feisty with a sharp tongue' before the Doctor had rushed in and shushed him. Amy and Rory had their lips sealed, only replying with "you'll find out" or "spoilers", though Rory gave her the feeling that she'd done something in his past to really win him over, as he seemed to care for her like a sister.

And the Doctor? He was no help. He just gave her a wistful smile as though he was recalling something amazing, but then would clam up or change the subject if she tried to get more out of him. It was frustrating, if she was honest.

But now, the four days had passed, and just like in the show, Amy and Rory were sat on the sofa on either side of the Doctor, who was upside down with his feet over the back of the furniture while he was glaring at the small pile of cubes on the coffee table before them. Ember was sat on the armchair sideways so her legs went over one of the arms while her head was resting on the other. She grinned as she finally saw the Doctor's patience snap.

"Four days. Nothing! Nothing!" He grumbled as he grabbed one of cubes, shaking and even smacking it. "Not a single change in any cube anywhere in the world." He put the cube down in order to pull himself into a relatively sitting position, whining at Amy. "Four days, and I am still in your lounge!"

"You were the one who wanted to observe them." She deadpanned, pulling a face.

"Yes, well, I thought they'd do something, didn't I? Not just sit there while everyone eats endless cereal!" The Doctor clumsily pulled himself up and off the sofa to stomp around.

Rory rolled his eyes, looking like a parent trying to calm a toddler. "You said we had to be patient."

Instantly the Doctor ran back, pointing at the man. "Yes, you! You, not me! I hate being patient. Patience is for wimps."

Ember giggled as the Doctor sat back down on the sofa. "You tell me to be patient. Does that make me a wimp?"

"No, not at all, I meant humans, not you," he quickly rambled before taking a breath and sending Amy a pleading look. "I can't live like this. Don't make me. I need to be busy."

"Fine!" She snapped. "Be busy! We'll watch the cubes."

With that, the Doctor dashed off. Ember watched, curious, as he repainted the garden fence, mowed the lawn, and did... something with the Williams' car by pulling a long cable out of it. She'd also gone to sit in the doorway of the back door while watching him play keep up with a football.

"Ninety eight," he counted, and Ember was impressed that he wasn't making it up. "ninety nine, one hundred. Amy!"

He'd even vacuumed the house, getting under Amy and Rory's feet to do the living room.

"Four million nine hundred ninety nine, five million." He finished by balancing the ball on the back of his neck before letting it drop. He turned to grin at Ember, only to blink in confusion when he saw her staring with wide eyes. "What is it? What?"

"I thought they were exaggerating on the show," she murmured, remembering how most of the things he did had been sped up to make it more comical. "But you really did all that..."

The Doctor was grinning now, and he patted Ember on the head as he passed by her and back into the house, shrugging on his jacket before he jumped over the back of the sofa to sit between Amy and Rory again.

"That's better." He said with a sigh. "Nothing like a bit of activity to pass the time. How long was I gone?"

Rory checked his watch as Ember returned to the room. "Er, about an hour."

There was a pause, and then the Doctor shook his head. "I can't do it. No."

Amy was on him the moment he got off the sofa and ran for the Tardis. "Where are you going?"

Before the Doctor could answer, he noticed Rory's father sitting in the exact same spot they'd left him. "Brian, you're still here."

Brian blinked up at him. "You told me to watch the cubes."

"Four days ago."

"Ah!" Brian shrugged. "Doesn't time fly when you're alone with your thoughts?"

Ember coughed as she entered the Tardis, moving to sit on the captains chair. "Not all the time. And sometimes being alone with your thoughts is a bad thing."

There were a few moments of silence, as no one knew how to reply to that, before the Doctor then began to flick switches on the console.

"You can't just leave, Doctor." Rory argued.

"Yes, of course I can. Quick jaunt, restore sanity." The Doctor waved him off. "Ooo, hey, come if you like."

Brian stood up. "They can't just go off like that."

The Doctor looked between him and Rory. "Can't they? Can't you? That's how it goes, isn't it?"

Rory sighed. "I've got my job."

"Oh yes, Rory. The universe is awaiting, but you have a little job to-"

"It's not little." Rory interrupted. "It's important to me. Look, what you do isn't all there is."

"I never said it was."

"Doctor," Ember called, gaining their attention. "You know they can't stay forever. They have to live their lives."

"All right. Fine." The Doctor grumbled, but it didn't have much venom in it. "I'll be back soon. Monitor the cubes. Call me. I'll have the Tardis set to every Earth news feed." He shooed the Ponds out of the Tardis before looking over at Ember. "Staying with them?"

Ember shook her head. "No way. I know how long it'll be from their side. And I haven't got a job, at least not anymore."

The Doctor frowned at that, noticing her face fall as she finished talking. "Tell me about it."

Ember looked at him, puzzled. "About what?"

"Your job. What did you do before you came here?"

"Didn't I tell you before now?"

"Little bits here and there," the Doctor answered, making Ember narrow her eyes at the vagueness. "But still... do you miss it?"

Ember paused, her gaze on the console but not really seeing it as she thought over her answer. "I... don't know. I mean, this is really big. One minute I'm there, then suddenly everything I know is..." She trailed off, uncertain, before finding her voice again. "Well, it's also probably culture shock right now. It hasn't really sunk in, you know? But I'll probably miss it, maybe..."

The Doctor had walked over to her as she spoke, and then smiled when she looked at him. "I'll be there to help when it sinks in. And I don't just mean that as a promise. I've already done it."

"But you can't tell me when, right?" Ember asked, a small smile coming to her face.

"Spoilers." The Doctor grinned, then suddenly he was bouncing around the room, pressing buttons and pushing levers, the Tardis shuddering as it took off. "But enough about that! Let's go!"

* * *

The Doctor ended up taking Ember to Vegas, to see the sights for the first time. She'd mentioned she'd never been to Vegas before.

They landed back on Earth, nine months after they'd left (which Ember had tried to warn the Doctor, but he didn't listen). The two of them walked through the house towards the back garden where they could hear a party, the Doctor carrying a huge bouquet of flowers, and soon they heard Amy talking into her phone.

"She's here tonight, being as it's our wedding anniversary." She was saying. "We thought you might have dropped by. I left you messages."

"I know!" The Doctor said once he'd reach her, handing her the flowers. "Happy anniversary! Come with me. And bring your husband."

Amy looked at Ember, who shyly waved as the Doctor walked off without them. "He's got a surprise for you two. I'll stay here and keep the guests unaware."

With a grin, Amy grabbed her husband and went off after the Doctor. Ember looked around at the guests and sighed. She wasn't used to being at parties like this, but she didn't want to be the extra wheel while the Doctor took the Ponds on an anniversary trip.

Even if his attempts would end badly.

Maybe Brian could help her with this.

* * *

About an hour later, the Doctor returned with Amy and Rory. The couple were just cutting a cake when Brian walked up to the Doctor.

"How long were they away?" He asked.

The Doctor hesitated. "I don't know what you're talking about, Brian."

The man looked at him flatly before pointing out an obvious giveaway. "Because they're wearing totally different clothes from earlier."

The Doctor hesitated again, but gave in. "Seven weeks. I got side-tracked. A lot."

"What happened to the other people who travel with you?"

Ember looked away, not wanting to think about what she knew was coming.

"Some left me. Some got left behind. And some, not many but... some died." The Doctor admitted, but quickly added "Not them. Not them, Brian. Never them."

"You can't promise that, Doctor." Ember said softly, gaining their attention as she turned to face Brian. "But I can. They will eventually stop travelling with us, Brian, but not because of death. They'll do it because of life. They will not die while they're with him."

Brian nodded and walked away, satisfied with the answer. The Doctor waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Ember. "You really shouldn't have said that."

Ember looked at him. "It wasn't just for him. You needed to hear it too. But you also need to know that they're going to stop sooner than you think or want. I know you're attached to them, but sooner or later you'll need to let them go." She paused to glance over at the couple. "So make the most of the time you have with them now. You know better than anyone that these times are fleeting."

The Doctor followed her gaze, watching Amy step out into the back garden, and then looked at Ember again. At her nod of encouragement, he moved to follow the redhead.

He found her just looking at the darkening sky, and he moved to join her.

"Ember did great," Amy commented, knowing he was there. "I know you said she was quite shy at the beginning, but she really made sure they didn't know we were gone."

The Doctor nodded. "She doesn't know how brilliant she is, or is going to be. All she knows is what she's seen on a tv show."

Amy smiled. "Then she's only got half the story, right?"

The Doctor nodded again, enjoying the comfortable silence for a few moments before he spoke. "Can I stay here, with you and Rory, for a bit? Keep an eye on the cubes. However long that takes."

"I thought it would drive you mad."

"No, no, no. I mean, I'll be better at it this time. I miss you." He admitted, though it was difficult.

Amy looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "But you miss her too, right?"

The Doctor sighed. "When I met River for the first time, she knew me and tried to explain to a friend about how it is. Gave an example about looking at a photograph taken of someone before you knew them. You look at them, how young they were, and it's like they're not done yet."

"And that's how you see Ember right now?"

"In a sense, yes." The Doctor ran a hand over his face. "You and I know what she can do, but she hasn't done it yet. Right now, she's shy, unconfident in herself. She doesn't know why she's here."

"Can't we just tell her?"

The Doctor shook his head. "If we did that, we change her future. Time can be rewritten. All we can do is be there for her."

* * *

Another month passed, with nothing from the cubes. Ember was once again on the armchair as she watched the Doctor play Wii Tennis.

"Oh, yes!" The Doctor cried, leaping onto the sofa and doing a dance. "Second set, Doctor! Ha ha! Oh, if Fred Perry could see me now, eh?" He paused. "He'd probably ask for his shorts back."

Ember giggled as she watched him prance about. "Why did you take his shorts?"

"We had a bet." The Doctor turned his attention to the game. "Third set decider, come on, then."

He played for a bit more, and Ember got so distracted by it that she didn't notice the cube float into the room until went past her and hovered in the Doctor's face. She tensed as she watched it.

"Out of the way, dear, I'm trying to..." The Doctor began, but then realised what he was talking to. He looked at it carefully for a moment before speaking. "Whatever you are, this planet, these people, are precious to me. And I will defend them to my last breath."

The cube didn't answer, though Ember wasn't sure if he was expecting it to. He gave it a flat look.

"Is that all you can do, hover? I had a metal dog could do that." He paused as the front of the cube opened and a small tube extended from it. "Oh, that's clever. What's that?"

Ember waited for him to realise that was a gun, but then she realised he wasn't going to move. With a gasp, she shot to her feet, grabbed the Doctor by his shirt and yanked him towards her.

Though the act did cause him to fall on top of her on the armchair, it proved to be a good move as the cube fired a millisecond later, missing them and shattering a vase that was behind them.

The Doctor, now seeing the danger, got up and pulled Ember up with him, making sure he shielded her as he dodged two more shots before they escaped the room. After checking Ember wasn't hurt, he then cried "Why didn't you tell me about that?"

"Why didn't you move?!" Ember snapped back. "You were looking at an unknown thing and you didn't think it might have been dangerous?!"

"Well why isn't it chasing us?"

Ember pinched the bridge of her nose with two fingers and jerked her thumb at the doorway with her free hand. "It only wanted us out of the way so it could do that."

The Doctor followed where she pointed, peering carefully around the doorway to see what the cube was doing. To his surprise, it seemed to have lost interest in them in favour of using the tv to surf the web, images flickering rapidly on the screen. "Ooo, you really have woken up."

"Doctor?" Rory called from the kitchen before he ran over to them. "Hi. Er, the cube in there, it just opened."

"The cube upstairs just spiked me and took my pulse!" Amy cried as she ran down the stairs.

"Ha! Really?" The Doctor was grinning as he grabbed his jacket and pulled it on. "Mine fired laser bolts and now it's surfing the net."

Brian suddenly appeared from the back of the house. "You're never going to believe this. My cube just moved. It rattled."

Rory's mobile phone rang just then, and he quickly picked it up. "Hello?" There was a pause. "Right, I'll be right there." He hung up and looked at Amy. "I have to get to work. They need all the help they can get."

Brian stepped up. "Let me come, help out."

"Take your dad to work night, brilliant!" Rory muttered before facing Amy again. "Okay, are you going to be all right here?"

Amy nodded. "Keep away from the cubes."

"Right." With that, the father and son left. Amy turned to ask the Doctor something when she saw him looking his psychic paper.

"What are you grinning about?" She asked.

The Doctor looked at her. "We're wanted at the Tower of London."

He took off, Amy a moment behind him. Ember was about to follow when she noticed the cube in the living room had stopped searching the web and was now hovering near the doorway, seemingly watching her. Ember bit her lip before making a decision and stepping closer.

"I know who you are," she said quietly. "I know why you're doing this. You think you're helping this planet, but you're trying to kill millions of people. It may not seem like much to you, but it does to me. If you keep going, there will be consequences. So I'm asking you now: please stop."

For a moment nothing happened, and Ember began to think she was wasting her breath. Then, to her surprise, the front of the cube glowed blue and a familiar voice came from it like a speaker.

"You are the fire."

Ember blinked, facing the cube again. That sounded like the hologram from the ship she knew was watching. "Pardon?"

"You are the fire."

"Well, they call me Ember, if that's what you mean..."

"No," the voice replied. "You are The Fire. Why are you trying to stop the Tally? Surely you understand."

Ember frowned. "Well, I know what you mean when you talk about all the harm humans do to the planet. But I don't see that as a reason to purposely kill them off."

"Then you do not understand."

"Then tell me," Ember implored. "Make me understand. Why are you calling me the Fire? Do you even know me?"

"Yes. You are The Fire."

Ember was getting frustrated now. "What does that mean?"

"Ember!"

The brunette looked away from the cube for a moment to see the Doctor come running back in. When she turned back to look at the cube, she was surprised to find that the cube was now on the coffee table, completely still.

The Doctor jogged up to her and took her arm, pulling her with him out the door. "Come on, Ember! They have a car for us!"

Reluctantly, Ember let him drag her off, deciding that she would talk to him later about the cube.

Less than an hour later, Amy, Ember and the Doctor were stepping out of a black car, looking up at the Tower of London. Kate came out to meet them.

"Every cube across the whole world activated at the same moment." She explained.

The Doctor grinned as they entered a dark tunnel that seemed to lead under the tower. "Now we're in business. You sent me a message to my psychic paper. You know what? I'm almost impressed."

Amy looked around as they entered a huge underground area. "Secret base beneath the Tower. Hope we're not here because we know too much."

"Yes, I've got officers trained in beheading." Kate replied, though it was hard to tell if she was joking or being serious. "Also ravens of death."

"I like her." Amy decided.

"Um, maybe check the batteries of those ravens?" Ember said, only to stop when Amy, Kate and the Doctor looked at her. "You know... so they don't get sluggish... I'm just gonna shut up now."

The Doctor wrapped an arm around her, squeezing a hug as he smiled. "Never shut up. It might not make sense now, but everything you tell us is important."

The small group entered an area that had lots of individual armoured cubicles, each containing a cube that was doing something different.

"There are fifty being monitored, and more coming in all the time. I don't know how useful it is." Kate explained. "Every cube is behaving individually. There's no meaningful pattern. Some respond to proximity."

Amy put her hand on the glass of one of the cubicles, only to pull away as the cube inside let flames shoot up from the top of it.

"Some create mood swings." Kate added, gesturing to one had a woman sat staring at a cube and weeping.

Ember sighed. "I can do that without a cube." She blinked in puzzlement as the Doctor hugged her sideways again, his expression pained.

"Er, what's this one?" Amy called from another cubicle.

Kate nodded at it. "Try the door."

Amy hesitated, and then looked at Ember as she called "It's alright, Amy. That one isn't dangerous."

Puzzled but now curious, Amy pulled open the door of the cubicle. Instantly the cube inside began playing the Birdie song, rather loudly.

"On a loop!" Kate had to raise her voice so they could hear her as the Doctor put a finger in each ear. Amy quickly closed the door, cutting off the music, as Kate led them to a set of monitors that were showing various images from scan results to cctv and so on. A larger screen had a map of the planet with little red lights blinking on it. "This is the latest."

"Oh dear." The Doctor let go of Ember to get a closer look at the results. "Systems breach at the Pentagon, China, every African nation, the Middle East..."

"I've got governments screaming for explanations and no idea what to tell them." Kate said, resigned. "I'm lost, Doctor. We all are."

"Don't despair, Kate. Your dad never did." The blonde looked at him in shock, but the Doctor smiled. "Kate Stewart, heading up UNIT, changing the way they work. How could you not be? Why did you drop Lethbridge?"

"I didn't want any favours. Though he guided me, even to the end. Science leads, he always told me." Kate had looked away but then looked at him again. "Said he'd learned that from an old friend."

The Doctor's smile turned into a determined one. "We don't let him down. We don't let this planet down."

"Um, I could still tell you, if you ummph," Ember had started speaking, but was cut off abruptly by the Doctor's hand over her mouth. A moment later he pulled back with a yelp as she'd bitten his hand to release her, and she looked guilty. "Sorry. Force of habit. I don't like that."

She expected him to scold her, or be confused by her vague answer, but instead he nodded and wrapped an arm around her and hugged her again. "Sorry."

Ember was about to ask what he meant, when one of the researchers sat at the monitors spoke up. "They've stopped."

The three of them looked at the screens again, to find all of the red dots had stopped blinking. The scanners showed nothing, and even the cctv footage was showing that the cubes had stopped. "The cubes, across the world, they just shut down."

"Active for forty seven minutes, and then they just die?" Kate asked, puzzled.

"Not dead." The Doctor corrected. "Dormant, maybe."

Amy looked at him. "Then why shut down?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I need to think." The Doctor turned and started walking off. "I need some air. Who has an underground base? Terrible ventilation."

Ember hesitated as Amy followed the Doctor out, but then sat in an empty office chair. This was another private moment between Amy and the Doctor, and she didn't want to butt in on it.

"Miss Ember?" She looked up at Kate as the blonde approached her.

"Just Ember is fine," she waved off. "What's wrong?"

Kate looked at her with a thoughtful expression. "How early is this for you?" At Ember's surprised look she shrugged. "UNIT has files on you. Doesn't have much, but it says you somehow travel in time, but not like the Doctor. You go back or forward in time, but always near him. But you look exhausted, so I'm guessing you haven't been doing this for very long."

"Technically, this is my first adventure with the Doctor," Ember answered. "Whatever the files say about me, is stuff I haven't done, not yet. So you shouldn't tell me any details, ok?"

"Fair enough." Kate nodded. "But I think you should know something. You're brilliant."

Ember blinked, puzzled. "Pardon?"

Kate sighed. "The files say you have a... condition. And you have some bad days. But I want you to know that you're brilliant. You're going to do things in the future that... well, defy explanation."

"That's just it; I haven't done any of that," Ember replied, a frown on her face. "Everyone's looking at me like I'm as good as the Doctor, but I really don't see it myself. I'm just a nobody who's watched the show. And as for the things you claim I've done... even if I don't know the details, I've gathered enough to figure it out. But time isn't set. Just because you've seen it happen doesn't mean it's going to go that way when I get to it. The Doctor probably already told you, but time isn't a straight line. It can turn and twist and change at any moment. What if I get it wrong? What if I screw it up?" She sighed. "I'm finding it hard to see what you think is so brilliant about me."

Kate looked like she wanted to answer, but a clatter at the entrance alerted them before the Doctor came running back in. "Kate? Before they shut down, they scanned everything, from your medical limits to your military response patterns. They made a complete assessment of Planet Earth and its inhabitants. That's what the surge of activity was."

Barely a sentence into his speech, the power cut off, plunging them into darkness as Amy rejoined them. The only things that still had power were the cubicles and the computers in front of the group.

"Problem with the power?" The Doctor asked, though he knew better.

"Not possible." Kate shook her head. "We've got back-ups."

"Hmm."

"Doctor?" Amy called, looking at a cube in one of cubicles. "Look."

She pointed, and Kate and the Doctor saw what she did: the cube had the number 7 light up on it.

"What?" The Doctor muttered in puzzlement as they looked around, seeing that every cube had the same number.

"Why do they all say seven?" Kate asked.

"Seven." The Doctor was rambling, trying to figure it out. "Seven, what's important about seven? Seven wonders of the world, seven streams of the River Ota, seven sides of a cube."

Amy blinked. "A cube has six sides."

"Not if you count the inside."

There was a clunk sound before the number on the cubes changed to 6.

"It has to be a countdown."

"Not in minutes." Kate said as Ember walked up to a cubicle, watching it.

"Why would it be minutes?" The Doctor asked aloud before he turned to the blonde. "Kate, we have to get humanity away from those cubes. God knows what they'll do if they hit zero. Get the information out any way you can. News channels, websites, radio, text messages. People have to know that the cubes are dangerous."

"Okay, but why is this starting now?" Amy asked. "I mean, the cubes arrived months ago. Why wait this long?"

"Because they're clever. Allow people enough time to collect them, take them into their homes, their lives. Humans, the great early adopters. And then, wham! Profile every inch of Earth's existence."

Kate's face fell, realisation hitting her. "Discover how best to attack us."

The Doctor nodded. "Get that information out any way you can. Go!"

"Right."

The Doctor began looking at the computer screens, trying to figure out the scans. "Every cube was activated. There must be signals, energy fluctuations on a colossal scale, there must be some trace. There can't not be. We need to think of all the variables, all the possibilities, okay? Go, go, go, go, go!"

There was nothing Ember could do, as she watched the number change to 5. She debated telling them, but then what if the countdown was ended faster? More people would be near them.

"It'll be alright."

Ember jumped. She hadn't realised that the Doctor had walked to her side. Unbeknownst to her, he'd watched her for several minutes before he'd moved.

The Doctor smiled at her. "On a scale of one to ten, how bad is it?"

"Um," Ember paused, thinking. Yea, lots of people had heart attacks because of the cubes, but they hadn't really shown if everyone lived. "I guess... it looks worse than it is, so maybe a 6?"

"Not too bad then." The Doctor nodded to himself as they watched the cube's number change to 4. Ember blinked; was it just her, or was it going a little faster? "Well, may as well take it head on. I'm going in."

"What?" Amy asked, shocked as she and Kate walked over to them. "Doctor, please. You don't have to do this."

"She's right." Kate added, as the number reached 3. "You don't have to be in there. We can do this remotely."

"Remotely isn't my style." The Doctor said as he straightened his bow tie, only to pause as Ember put her hand on the door to stop him from opening it. "What's wrong?"

Ember sighed. "It's going to hurt. You don't need to be in there. You'll figure out without getting hurt."

The Doctor looked her in the eye. "Will it kill me?"

"Not right away," Ember replied after a hesitation. "But it'll still hurt."

"Then I have to see what happens," The Doctor said as he gently moved her hand away from the door, surprising Ember by placing a light kiss on the back of her hand before he let go. "See you after."

Before he could change his mind or the girls could stop him, he opened the door and ducked inside, closing it behind him. Kate, Amy and Ember moves to the window to see him as he sat down at the table, the cube in front now at 2. He gave them a reassuring smile as the number changed to 1, and then 0 before the lights went out. The top of the cube slid back like a lid to reveal its interior.

"Geronimo." The Doctor murmured before he leaned over the cube to look inside.

A few moments passed, but nothing happened. "What's happening?" Kate asked.

Amy was confused as well. "Well? What's in there?"

The Doctor took a moment before responding. "There is nothing in here."

"Er, well, that's good." Amy assumed, looking at the two women beside her. "It's not, it's not bombs, it's not aliens."

"Why? Why is there nothing inside?" The Doctor was even more confused and starting to get frustrated. "Why? It doesn't make any sense."

Ember closed her eyes. "Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there."

The Doctor stepped out of the cubicle and ran over to the computers, calling to a bespectacled researcher. "Glasses, is it the same? Is it the same all around the world?"

Kate looked at the cctv cameras, the ones that showed cubes open but nothing inside. "They're empty. We're safe, right?"

"Ah, no, no, no, we are very far from safe. All along, every action has been deliberate. Why draw attention to the cubes if they don't contain anything?"

Amy gasped. "Doctor, look." On the monitors, anyone who was near a cube suddenly seemed to crumble, clutching their chests.

"They're CCTV feeds from across the world." The researcher said, looking at the screens. "They're showing the same."

"People are dying." Kate gasped.

"What? They can't be dying." The Doctor was as shocked as they were. "How? How are they dying?

Kate leaned over to look at the researcher. "I want information on how people are being affected."

"The cubes brought people close together. They opened and then-argh!" The Doctor suddenly fell back into a wheeled chair, rolling back a few feet and clutching his chest.

Amy quickly ran over to him. "Doctor, what's the matter?"

"Argh. Ah, I don't know!"

"It's his heart!" Ember blurted out. "It struck his heart!"

The researcher, who'd jumped at her shout, looked at some scans. "She's right. Hospitals are logging a global surge in heart failures. Cardiac arrests."

"That's it. Oh! Oh! Oh!" The Doctor yelped, thumping his chest. "Only one heart. Other one's not working."

"Okay, I'm going to get you to the hospital!" Amy grabbed hold of the chair and started to push it towards the exit.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. Just a short circuit. Turn around, turn around!" The Doctor cried, making her wheel him back to the computers. "Tell me, show me. Ten seconds after the cubes opened, show me the patterns in their electrical currents." A few moments of the researcher tying produced what sounded like a heartbeat. "See?"

Kate paled. "No!"

"Yes, the power cut. They zapped the power and then-argh! They're signal boxes. People leaning in, wham. Pure electrical surge out of the cube targeted at the nearest human heart. The heart, an organ powered by electrical currents, short-circuited. How to destroy a human? Go for the heart." The Doctor yelped again, leaning back. "Ow. Crikey Moses."

"Doctor, the scan you set running." Kate looked at a screen. "The transmitter locations. It's found them."

The Doctor shook himself off to lean against the desk. "And look at them all, pulsing bold as brass. Seven of them, all across the world. Ow! Seven stations, seven minutes. Why is that important?" Another jolt had him leaning back again. "Argh! Ow, ow. How do you people manage one heart? it is pitiful."

Amy rolled her eyes, but didn't comment. Ember would have giggled like she did when she first saw this episode, but seeing it in real life wasn't as funny.

"A wormhole, bridging two dimensions." The Doctor tapped the screen. "Seven of them hitched onto this planet, but where's the closest one? Glasses, zoom in."

Amy paled as she recognised the location. "It's the hospital where Rory works."

"He's okay," Ember reassured her. "For now. But we need to get there now."

* * *

It took a quick order for a car to take them to the hospital. As they entered the building, they could see that the staff were more than overwhelmed as the patients were flooding the hallways with even more coming in.

"How many deaths have been recorded?" The Doctor asked, panting.

Kate shook her head. "We don't know. We think it could be a third of the population."

"Kate, I have to find the wormhole, but the attacks could still happen. Tell the world. Tell them how to deal with this. The world needs your leadership right now."

"I'll do my best."

"Of course you will. Good luck, Kate." The blonde took off, but the Doctor got another jolt. "Argh! Argh!"

"Okay, how long are you going to last with only one heart?" Amy asked, moving to put his arm over her shoulders to help support him.

The Doctor struggled to pull out his sonic, scanning around. "Not much longer. I need to locate the wormhole portal."

Ember looked to the side, spotting a young girl in the corridor with them. She probably would have been overlooked, but Ember knew better; the girl wasn't paying them any attenton, or even showing any care about the panic around her, just standing there holding a cube. "Doctor! Here!"

"Hello. Hello!" The Doctor moved painfuly over to her, scanning her. "You are giving off some very strange signals."

Amy's eyes widened as the girl's face glowed blue, just like the cubes. "Oh, my God."

"Outlier droid, monitoring everything. If I shut her down, I can..." A flick of the sonic and the girl collapsed, the Doctor catching and easing her down. "Ah. It's all right, it's all right." He then fell himself. "I can't, Amy. I can't do it. I need both hearts!"

Ember nudged the redhead and nodded at an abandoned defibrillator. Amy got up to grab it. "All right. Desperate measures."

"What?" The Doctor looked over to see what she was doing, eyes widening as Amy ripped his short open. "No. No, no, no. That won't work. I'm a Time Lord!"

"Yes it will," Ember insisted, gripping his hand before letting go as the small machine whired.

"All right, clear!" Amy warned before she pressed the paddles against the Doctor's chest, sending a jolt of electricity through him.

"Whoo! Ooo. Ooo!" The Doctor sat up abrubtly, Amy chucking away the padle as he quickly got onto his feet and did a jig. "Welcome back, lefty! Whoa-ho! Two hearts! Woo! Back in the game. Ah." He finished with a flurish, making a pose before he ran up to hug Amy. "Never do that to me again." He moved to hug Ember before turning her to face him. "Hint?"

The brunette blinked at him before her mind registered what he asked. She cursed herself silently: she had to remember that this wasn't a tv show anymore. "Goods lift."

Nodding, the Doctor took her and Amy by the hand and pulled them with him down the corridors. To Ember's surprise, it didn't take long for them to find the lift and step inside, looking around.

"Ah, portal to another dimension in a goods lift?" Amy looked skeptical.

The Doctor looked at his sonic. "The energy signals converge here. Does seem a bit cramped, though." There was a pause, and then the Doctor carefully prodded the back wall with a finger, making it ripple like water. With a grin, he looked at his companians. "Through the looking glass, ladies."

Amy took his hand immediately. Ember hesitated, but did the same. Together, they stepped through the portal and onto the deck of a huge spaceship. Ember immediately recognised it from the show, and looked at the line of bodies.

"Where are we?" Amy asked.

"We're in orbit." The Doctor replied. "One dimension to the left."

Amy finally noticed her husband on a table next to where Brian was on a stretcher. "Rory!"

"Ah." The Doctor pulled a small vial out of his pocket and tossed it to her. "Soborian smelling salts. Outlawed in seven galaxies."

Amy had just woken Rory when something shot at them, barely missing. They all ducked.

"Whoa! Whoa! What kind of a welcome do you call that?" The Doctor yelled as he turned to Amy and Rory. "Get them out of here. You too. Now!"

Amy frowned at him. "What are you going to do?"

"Absolutely no idea." The Doctor gestured to Brian, helping them get the gurney moving as Amy woke the father with the salts. "Get him to the portal."

Amy and Rory moved Brian's stretcher, the man jolting awake, and another shot narrowly mised them as they made their escape. Ember was quickly covered by the Doctor to protect her. "Whoa!"

A man that looked old and scarred appeared out of nowhere. "So many of them crawling the planet, seeping into every corner."

The Doctor rose to his feet as the man disappeared and reappeared at a bank of seven computer in a honeycomb pattern, following to stand on the other side. "It's not possible. I thought the Shakri were a myth. A myth to keep the young of Gallifrey in their place."

"The Shakri exist in all of time, and none." The man stated. "We travel alone and together. The Seven."

"The Shakri craft, connected to Earth, through seven portals and seven minutes." The Doctor moved to the side, keeping Ember behind him. "Ah, but why?"

"Serving the word of the Tally."

"Why the cubes? Why Earth?"

"Has the Fire not told you?" The man looked at them as the Doctor glanced back at Ember, much to her confusion. "Not Earth, humanity. The Shakri will halt the human plague before the spread."

The Doctor looked at him again. "Erase humanity before it colonises space. We thought the cubes were an invasion. The start of war."

"More like pest control." Ember muttered.

The man nodded. "The Fire is correct. The human contagion only must be eliminated."

Amy suddenly reappeared at their side, along with Rory. "Who are you calling a contagion?"

"Oi!" the Doctor yelped. "Didn't I tell you two to go?"

"You should have learned by now." Rory nodded. "Ember tells you all the time."

"Yeah, and what is this Tally anyway?" Amy asked.

"Some people call it Judgment Day," the Doctor replied. "or the Reckoning."

"Don't you know?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I've never wanted to find out."

"Before the Closure, there is the Tally." The man cut in, apparently laughing. "The Shakri serves the Tally."

"The pest controllers of the universe, that's how the tales went, isn't it?"

Amy furrowed her brows. "Wow. That's some seriously weird bedtime story."

The Doctor looked at her incredulously. "You can talk. Wolf in your grandmother's nightdress?"

Ember nudged him. "Doctor, focus."

"So, here you are, depositing slug pellets all over the Earth, made attractive so humans will collect them, hoping to find something beautiful inside." The Doctor got back on subject, walking back to the panels. "Because that's what they are. Not pests or plague, creatures of hope, forever building and reaching. Making mistakes, of course, every life form does. But, but they learn. And they strive for greater, and they achieve it." He wandered back to the humans. "You want a tally? Put their achievements against their failings through the whole of time, I will back humanity against the Shakri every time."

The man look at Ember, which surprised her. "And the Fire agrees with this?"

Ember stumbled. This bit wasn't in the show. "I told you before. There will be consequences if you don't stop."

"The Tally must be met." The man said. "The second wave will be released."

"What does that mean?" Amy asked.

"It's going to release more cubes to kill more people."

"The human plague breeding and fighting. And when cornered, their rage to destroy. The Fire will understand." the man stated, making Ember even more confused, as he walked over to them and gestured. "You're too late, Doctor. The Tally shall be met."

With that, the man vanished.

Amy blinked. "He's gone?"

"He was never really here." The Doctor explained as he ran around the panels to face the controls. "Just the ship's automated interface, like a talking propaganda poster. I can stop the second wave. I can disconnect all the Shakri craft from their portals, leave them drifting in the darkspace. Ah, but all those people who were near the cubes, so many of them will have died..."

"Amy," Ember called, miming the defibrillator. "Clear."

The redhead immediately understood. "I restarted one of your hearts."

"You'd need mass defibrillation." Rory added.

"Of course. Ah, beautiful." The Doctor hugged Ember before taking out his sonic and getting to work. "But, Ponds, Ponds. We are going to go one better than that. The Shakri used the cubes to turn people's hearts off. Bingo! We're going to use them to turn them back on again."

"Will that work?" Amy asked.

"Well, creatures of hope. Has to. Thirty seconds. Don't let me down, cubes, you're working for me now." The controls began to crackle. "Oh dear. All these cubes. There's going to be a terrible wave of energy ricocheting around here any second. Run."

The group turned and ran towards the portal, Rory adding "I'm going to miss this."

They just reached the portal and gotten to the lift before they heard a muffled waboom, throwing them forward, and the rippling wall stilled. They watched for a few moments before turning and walking away.

"Ember," the Doctor gently held her back so that the Ponds went ahead slightly. "You said you told them before. You spoke to him before?"

Ember bit her lip. "I saw one of the cubes earlier. I though maybe I could talk to the Shakri and get them to stop. He called me the Fire."

The Doctor nodded. "One of your names. You've got quite a few."

"But you knew he meant me. That means something,"

"Yes, but it's a bit early for you yet."

Ember sighed. She had a feeling she was going to hear that a lot.

Just as they reached the car that would take them back to the Tower of London, Ember suddenly felt a familiar burning sensation, starting with her chest. "Agh!"

Amy and Rory looked concerned, but also like they knew what was going on. The Doctor quickly pulled Ember into a hug.

"It's alright," he murmured, tightening his hold as Ember whimpered. "You're about to jump, it's ok..."

Ember tried to speak, but the burning flared, overwhelming all of her senses. She felt the arms around her disappear, and she flailed in panic. After what seemed like forever, the burning sensation began to fade, and she found herself lying on the ground with someone's hand on her back.

"Deep breath, Ember, that's it..." A voice soothed above her. She rolled onto her back to look up at the speaker, only to blink in surprise at the sight of the Ninth Doctor looking at her in worry.

"... I didn't expect this."

* * *

Well, here it is! The first chapter! Let me know what you think!

Next Time: Ember has a choice, and an odd encounter.


	2. Chapter Two: The Long Game

Here is the second chapter to the SoF: The Beginning

* * *

Chapter 2: The Long Game

"Ember?" The Ninth Doctor asked, his brow furrowing in worry. "Are you alright?"

Ember blinked as the burning sensation faded, looking around. It looked like she and the Doctor were on some kind of futuristic viewing platform. "... Is this Platform One?"

The Doctor held out a hand, helping her to her feet. "No, that was a while ago. Dunno where we are at the mo. Rose just took Adam through that gate."

"Adam?" Ember had to think for a moment before it clicked. "Oh, you just met the Dalek, right?"

"... yes." The hesitation made Ember pause before he replaced it with a smile. "You jumped just before we left. Where abouts are you now?"

Ember flinched. "... this is my second adventure so far. First with that face."

"Ah, then you're still new." The Doctor smiled again, though Ember could see that it was a little forced. "We better catch up with them before they wander off."

Nodding, Ember followed the Doctor to an open gate and through it to find Rose and Adam at a huge window, the Earth below them in all its glory. Rose smiled at them while Adam blinked.

"Wait, I saw you vanish!" He said, pointing at her. "No, no, before that, you just appeared! You appeared out of nowhere and-"

"Oi!" The Doctor cut in, knowing that if he didn't Adam would give something away. "I believe Rose was talking to you."

Rose, seemingly understanding the prompt, spoke. "Well, here we are! And this is... I'll let the Doctor describe it."

The Doctor straightened, facing the window. "The Fourth great and bountiful Human Empire. And there it is, planet Earth at it's height. Covered with mega cities, five moons, population ninety six billion. The hub of the Galactic Domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle."

There was a pause, and then Ember stepped aside as Adam fainted. The Doctor and Rose didn't even look away from the view.

"He's your boyfriend." The Doctor teased.

Rose sighed. "Not anymore."

Ember didn't bother to help when Rose eventually attempted to wake Adam. She moved to stand beside the Doctor, looking at the view. Neither spoke for a few moments until the Doctor broke the silence. "So, any hints as to what we should expect?"

"Um..." Ember bit her lip. She wasn't sure what she could say. "It's not... well, there isnt..." She paused to sigh. "You'd think it would be easy, knowing it all before it happens. I still don't know what I'm doing here."

"I don't either, if that helps." The Doctor shrugged. "You haven't told me yet."

"Guess that means I won't find out yet either," Ember glanced at him, looking thoughtful. "I didn't expect this you to be this calm about it: me knowing your future. I thought you'd be a bit more... angry about it."

The Doctor met her gaze. "You haven't been any earlier than here with me yet, have you?" The brunette shook her head. "Well, lets just say you and me had plenty of time to get along. I was skeptical at first, but after a while I warmed up to it."

"Hmm, can't wait to see how that turned out." Ember sighed again. "Okay, a hint... Right, keep your eyes open. It isn't as great and bountiful as you think. Oh, and you won't be happy with him if he does what I've seen him do."

The Doctor blinked, puzzled, but he didn't get to ask for clearity as Rose finally woke Adam. He guided the three back through to the open area, putting Ember's words to the side for now.

"Come on, Adam, open your mind," he said. "You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners-"

He only had a moment to notice Ember stepping aside again before a man shoved past them. "Out of the way!"

Suddenly, the whole area was flooded with people, pushing and shoving about as vendors opened up and began serving food that looked like what one would find at fast food places. The air was filled with chatter as the venders shouted out at customers and said customers practically shoveling their food down like they barely had time to chew.

"Fine cuisine?" Rose quipped, looking at the Doctor.

"My watch must be wrong." He checked. "No, it's fine. It's weird."

Rose grinned. "That's what comes of showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was."

"My history's perfect."

"Well, obviously not."

"They're all human." Adam stammered. "What about the-the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?"

"Good question. Actually, that is a good question." The Doctor murmured before he threw an arm around the boy's shoulder. "Adam, me old mate, you must be starving."

Adam turned a little green. "No, I'm just a bit time sick."

"No, you just need a bit of grub. Oi, mate - how much is a kronkburger?"

The vender he spoke to gave him a patient smile. "Two credits twenty, sweetheart. Now join the queue."

The Doctor patted his jacket. "Money. We need money. Let's use a cashpoint."

As he dashed off, followed by Rose and Adam, Ember took the moment to pull off her denim jacket and tie it around her waist with the sleeves, leaving her in the long sleeved, purple top. She caught up with the trio as they reached what looked like a cashpoint, where the Doctor scanned it with his screwdriver until a long plastic chip fell out. He plucked it up and tossed it to Adam. "There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets."

"How does it work?" The young man asked.

"Go and find out. Stop nagging me. The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers. Or is that just me? Stop asking questions, go and do it." He grinned at Rose. "Off you go, then. Your first date."

The blonde giggled. "You're going to get a smack, you are."

The Doctor waited for them to disappear round the corner before he turned and approached two smartly dressed women. Ember was about to follow when a small beeping noise stopped her, and she pulled back her left sleeve to reveal a smart watch. She blinked as she remembered how she got it.

_Flashback_

_It was nearing the end of the second out of four days they'd had the Doctor waiting with the Ponds for the cubes to do something, and Ember had been fighting off flashes of dizziness that had been plaguing her all day._

_"Ember?" The Eleventh Doctor asked. "Are you alright?"_

_Ember shook her head to rid it of the fuzziness. "I'm fine. Just a headache."_

_The Doctor gave her a look that showed he didn't believe her, before his eyes widened in realisation. "Your medication!"_

_Ember blinked at him as he started riffling through his pockets. "... You know about that?"_

_"I know a lot of things about you," the Doctor smiled at her as he searched. "I know you like strawberries but not things that are strawberry flavoured. I know that while you don't have a fatal allergy to nuts, eating a lot of them at once makes you very ill. I know you love cats. And, if I can find them... aha!"_

_He finally looked triumphant as he pulled out a small bottle of pills and a digital watch from his pockets, handing Ember the bottle. The brunette eyed the bottle suspiciously, shaking the small white pills inside._

_"And these are?" She asked._

_The Doctor glanced at her as he fiddled with the watch. "Your medication. I know that if you miss even a day, you get dizzy from the minor withdrawals."_

_"But my dosage is-"_

_"Only one pill a day. And this," he handed her the watch. "Will tell you when it's time to take it, give or take an hour. Jumping around like you do often makes it hard to keep track, so this will keep in time to you so you know when to have them."_

_He paused as she gave him an odd look, like she didn't want to take the pill, and sighed, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I know you don't like taking them, but you have them for a reason. But if it helps, you won't always need them. This is a spoiler, but you do come off them eventually."_

_Ember looked up at him, her face unreadable. "And how do you know that? I've had to take these for years. When do I not need them?"_

_"Sorry, I've said too much. But I promise, you'll be okay."_

_At that moment, the watch beeped. Ember stared at the Doctor for another few long moments before she sighed and put the watch on._

_Flashback ends_

The watch beeped again, and Ember pressed the little button on the side to stop it like the Doctor had shown her. She then dug into her jacket pocket to pull out the bottle of pills when she realised she needed water to take it with.

Ember looked around, finding no vendors free to serve her or give her free water, and she saw no water coolers either. Then all of a sudden her breath began to speed up. The air felt thick, the little space in the crowd getting smaller. She couldn't breathe...

"Just breathe."

Ember jumped, looking behind her. To her surprise, there was a person wearing a long, red coat with a hood, completely obscouring their features. Only the voice indicated that it was male. The way he had his hands tucked into his huge sleeves reminded her of the Headless Monks. "Who are you?"

"Too early for you to know yet." He replied. "But I can tell you that I am a friend."

"And I should believe that?"

The hood tilted. "I know you have a hard time trusting anyone, especially with your past."

"My... Never mind." Ember shook her head. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Because I have this." His hand left his sleeve, showing pale skin, and opened palm up, to reveal something in his hand. Ember was only just able to see what it was, but she still paled at the sight.

"That's..."

"Impossible, I know." The hand retreated. "But you gave this to me. Partly to prove that I'm a friend, but also... well, I guess that would be spoilers."

Ember shook her head again. "But I don't have that! I don't even know where I could have gotten that!"

"You'll find out."

There was a moment before Ember spoke again. "Ok, for the sake of the argument, let's say I believe you. Why are you here if it's too early for me to know you?"

"Because I know you don't like crowded places. I'm here to help."

"And how are you going to do that?"

The hooded man chuckled. "You were about to have a panic attack, and now you're not. I'd say that helped."

Ember blinked, realising now that she was so focused on the man that she was ignoring the crowd around her. When she looked back at the hooded man, he was holding out a bottle of water. She gave him a look for a long moment, but when he didn't relent she sighed and took the bottle. To her relief the bottle was sealed as she twisted the cap off before opening the medicine bottle and taking a pill, washing it down with the water. The hooded man didn't speak as she did so.

She looked around again, this time with a clearer head, to find the Doctor still talking to the two women. "Does the Doctor know you?"

"Eventually. But that's not important. What is important is you. You need to be more confident in yourself. Right now, you are not prepared for the journey ahead. It isn't going to be as easy in future. You know that. But it's also going to be harder than you think. You're going to find things out, realise things that stand out from the show. You need to be ready."

Ember bit her lip in thought. What did this guy mean 'stand out from the show'?

"Ember?"

Turning away for a moment, Ember spotted the Doctor waving her over. When she turned back, the hooded man was gone. She huffed, annoyed that she couldn't get more answers, before turning to run over to where the Doctor was calling over Rose and Adam.

"Are you alright?" The Doctor asked Ember.

Ember blinked, puzzled by his concern, but then nodded. "Yea, I'm good."

Once they were all together, they followed Cathica and Suki into a smaller room where several people were seated on the floor around a reclined chair.

"Now, everybody behave. We have a management inspection." Cathica said to them before turning to the guests. "How do you want it, by the book?"

The Doctor nodded. "Right from scratch, thanks."

Cathica turned to face front again. "Okay. So, ladies, gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot,- my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni. That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor five hundred praising me, and please do. Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and beyond bias. That's company policy."

Suki piped up shyly. "Actually, it's the law."

Cathica rolled her eyes. "Yes, thank you, Suki. Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests. Here we go." She moved and sat on the chair, leaning back. "And engage safety."

The seven people around her held their hands over palm prints on the tables in front of them. Lights started to come on around the room. Cathica clicked her fingers and a portal opened in her forehead, exposing her brain. The seven put their hands into the palm prints.

"And three, two, and spike."

A beam of light streamed from the ceiling into Cathica's open portal.

"Compressed information, streaming into her." The Doctor explained. "Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer."

Rose looked half fascinated and half sick as she watched. "If it all goes through her, she must be a genius."

The Doctor shook his head as he began to circle the journalists. "Nah, she wouldn't remember any of it. There's too much. Her head'd blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets."

"So, what about all these people round the edge?"

"They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels. Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power."

Ember kept her eyes away from Cathica: she did not want to see a brain. "And why did they ever think it was clever to have a door in their heads? Sometimes humans can be so dumb."

Rose moved back to where Adam was just staring at Cathica. "Are you alright?"

"I can see her brain." Adam murmured.

"Do you want to get out?"

"No." Adam shook his head. "No, it's just... this technology. It's amazing."

"This technology's wrong."

The Doctor's firm voice made them look at him, Rose beginning to smile as she asked "Trouble?"

"Oh, yeah."

Before anyone could add anything, Suki suddenly jerked her hands off the panels like she'd been shocked. The others did so much more slowly as the stream stopped and Cathica's portal closed.

"Oh, come off it, Suki, I wasn't even halfway." She moaned. "What was that for?"

"Sorry." Suki replied, rubbing her hand. "It must've been a glitch."

"Promotion." At the sound of the tannoy, a wall lit up with the same word across it. Cathica got off the chair and crossed her fingers, closing her eyes.

"Come on. This is it. Come on." She was muttering. "Oh God, make it me. Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name."

"Promotion for... Suki Macrae Cantrell." Said woman's mouth dropped open. "Please proceed to Floor five hundred."

"I don't believe it." She murmured. "Floor five hundred.

Cathica was almost beside herself with anger. "How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you."

Suki looked dumbfounded. "I don't know. I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes."

"That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor five hundred for three years."

Rose leaned over to the Doctor to whisper. "What's Floor five hundred?"

The Doctor's face was grim. "The walls are made of gold."

Ember shook her head.

Not long later, the group found themselves at the lift, ready to see off Suki.

"Cathica, I'm going to miss you." She was gushing before turning to the Doctor. "Floor five hundred, thank you."

The Doctor shrugged. "I didn't do anything."

"Well, you're my lucky charm."

"All right. I'll hug anyone."

Surprisingly, Suki then hugged Ember. She blinked for a moment before hugging back, deciding to take a leap.

"I know you're not really Suki," she whispered. The woman tensed, but didn't show any other sign. "Please be careful up there."

When she pulled back, the woman gave a subtle nod before plastering a smile and turning to the lift.

Rose caught up with them. "Adam is taking a minute to get used to this."

Ember looked away, slightly annoyed that she hadn't tried to stop him, but it was him or Suki, and she couldn't not try to save her. "Let's hope."

"Oh, my God, I've got to go." Suki was saying. "I can't keep them waiting. I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me. Bye!"

Cathica rolled her eyes as the lift door closed. "Good riddance."

The Doctor looked at her, puzzled. "You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs."

"We won't. Once you go to Floor five hundred you never come back."

The Doctor looked at Ember as Cathica walked away. "Hint?"

"Her," Ember nodded to the retreating woman. "You'll get some insight, and maybe put some in her."

Nodding, the Doctor caught up with Cathica along with Ember. "Have you ever been up there?"

Cathica shook her head. "I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to five hundred except for the chosen few."

They followed Cathica into the news room they'd been in before. "Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?"

"But you've never been to another floor?" The Doctor pressed as he moved to sit in the chair, Rose and Ember on either side of him. "Not even one floor down?"

"I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all." She paused, looking at them. "You're not management, are you?"

The Doctor grinned. "At last. She's clever."

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything."

"Don't you even ask?"

Now Cathica looked puzzled, as though the thought never occured to her. "Well, why would I?"

"You're a journalist!" The Doctor told her. "Why's all the crew human?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"There's no aliens on board. Why?"

Cathica shrugged, checking the panels. "I don't know. No real reason. They're not banned or anything."

"Then where are they?"

"I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats."

The Doctor didn't look impressed. "What threats?"

"I don't know... all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away." Cathica was beginning to look flustered. "Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons, that's all."

"Adding up to one great big fact, and you didn't even notice."

"Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything."

"I can see better. This society's the wrong shape, even the technology."

"It's cutting edge."

"It's backwards." The Doctor shot back. "There's a great big door in your head. You should've chucked this out years ago."

Rose looked at him. "So, what do you think's going on?"

The Doctor shifted in his seat. "It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's holding it back."

"And how would you know?"

"Trust me, humanity's been set back about ninety years." He looked at Cathica. "When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?"

Cathica almost paled. "Ninety one years ago."

The Doctor got out of the chair and led them out of the room. The three women followed him to a small alcove near the elevator, which housed a computer cupboard, where Ember waited at the end to keep a look out while the Doctor did his thing.

"We are so going to get in trouble." Cathica said as she was caught between watching them or watching out. "You're not allowed to touch the mainframe. You're going to get told off."

The Doctor didn't look up from his work. "Rose, tell her to button it."

"You can't just vandalise the place. Someone's going to notice!"

The Doctor finally got the panel open. He seemed to be having fun messing with the cables, while Rose watched and Cathica fidgeted.

"This is nothing to do with me." She finally said, turning to walk away. "I'm going back to work."

The Doctor barely looked over at her. "Go on, then. See you!"

Ember glanced at the woman. "What would a journalist do?"

Cathica hesitated. "I can't just leave you, can I!"

"If you want to be useful, get them to turn the heating down. It's boiling." Rose said. "What's wrong with this place? Can't they do something about it?"

"I don't know. We keep asking. Something to do with the turbine."

"Something to do with the turbine." The Doctor mocked.

"Well, I don't know!"

"Exactly. I give up on you, Cathica." The Doctor gestured at Rose with a handful of wires. "Now, Rose. Look at Rose. Rose is asking the right kind of question."

Rose smiled. "Oh, thank you."

"Why is it so hot?"

Cathica rolled her eyes. "One minute you're worried about the Empire and the next it's the central heating!"

"Well, never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important." The Doctor pulled at a set of wires that came away easier than he thought, and he looked sheepish as he tossed them away. It didn't take long for him to pull out a monitor and turn it on. "Here we go. Satellite Five, pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout."

"This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core." Cathica moved past him to look at the screen. "You can look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange and you're looking at pipes?"

The Doctor inclined his head. "But there's something wrong."

Cathica couldn't argue. "I suppose."

Rose tried to see, but couldn't figure out the graph. "Why, what is it?"

"The ventilation system. Cooling ducts, ice filters, all working flat out channelling massive amounts of heat down."

"All the way from the top." The Doctor pointed out.

The blonde blinked in realisation. "Floor five hundred."

"Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party." Rose grinned. "It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?"

"You can't." Cathica protested. "You need a key."

"Keys are just codes, and I've got the codes right here." The Doctor moved to use the computer, bringing up a string of numbers. "Here we go. Override two one five point nine."

Cathica looked surprised. "How come it's given you the code?"

The Doctor glanced up at a camera that was watching them. "Someone up there likes me."

With that, he turned and headed for the lift. Rose, Cathica and Ember followed. As the door to the lift opened, the Doctor stepped in with Rose and Ember.

Rose noticed Cathica hadn't joined them. "Come on. Come with us."

The woman looked pale. "No way."

"Bye!" The Doctor waved.

"Well, don't mention my name. When you get in trouble, just don't involve me." Cathica stormed away, seemingly done with them.

"That's her gone. Adam's given up. Looks like it's just you two and me."

Rose grinned. "Yeah."

"Good."

"Yep."

The Doctor grinned as he turned and slid the card into the slot. Ember expected them to hold hands like they'd done in the show, but to her surprise, the Doctor reached out and took her hand instead, him and Rose giving her smiles.

"Don't count her out yet," she said, earning puzzled looks from Rose and the Doctor. "Cathica. She'll be back. Keep an eye on reflections."

The rest of the ride was silent. Ember contemplated talking to the Doctor about the hooded man, but then decided against it. This Doctor was less trusting than his other versions, and he would have bigger problems in a few minutes than a stranger in a hood.

Finally, they reached floor 500. When the door opened, however, Rose and the Doctor were surprised to see that the entire floor was covered in ice and snow.

The Doctor stepped out of the lift, the ice crunching under his boots. "The walls are not made of gold. You should go back downstairs."

It wasn't clear if he was talking to Rose or Ember or both, but the blonde didn't care. "Tough."

Ember nodded as she untied her jacket and slipped it on again. She wasn't going anywhere either, even if was cold up here.

After briefly exploring and finding the smaller room with the dead bodies, the trio soon made it to the larger room where there were frozen people at several monitors. The Editor, the only living person there, was looking at some screens as they entered. Ember closed her eyes and fought the urge to cry when she saw Suki sat at a monitor. So she couldn't save her after all.

"I started without you." The Editor said. "This is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire." He seemed to get more excited as he spoke. "Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you three, you don't exist. Not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?"

Rose finally noticed the familiar face among the staff, running over to her. "Suki. Suki! Hello? Can you hear me? Suki?" She looked at the Editor. "What have you done to her?"

The Doctor moved to be in front of Ember, much to her surprise. "I think she's dead."

Rose looked confused. "She's working."

"They've all got chips in their head, and the chips keep going, like puppets."

"Oh! You're full of information." The Editor gushed before he straightened. "But it's only fair we get some information back, because apparently, you're no one. It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter, because we're off. Nice to meet you." The Doctor gestured to Rose. "Come on."

Before Rose could move away, Suki's right hand came up and grabbed her by the arm in a tight grip, holding her there. Two more frozen people came up to restrain the Doctor, while one more grabbed Ember from behind. Ember jumped and struggled hard, but the man's cold limbs held her fast.

The Editor seemed done with gushing, for now he looked serious. "Tell me who you are."

The Doctor gave him a look. "Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I."

"Well, perhaps my Editor in Chief can convince you otherwise."

"And who's that?"

"It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live..." He was interrupted by growls and snarls. "Yeah. Yeah, sorry. It's a place where humans are allowed to live by kind permission of my client."

Ember was already looking up when the Editor clicked his fingers and pointed upwards. Above them was a creature that could best be described as a lump with sharp teeth, snarling at them.

Rose was shocked. "What is that?"

"You mean that thing's in charge of Satellite Five?" The Doctor asked, just as surprised.

The Editor was smiling at their reactions. "That thing, as you put it, is in charge of the human race. For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided, his knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by it's broadcast news, edited by my superior, your master, and humanity's guiding light, the mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe." His smile turned into a grin as he murmured. "I call him Max."

As a few more frozen people brought along three hefty sets of manacles and began to shackle the trio, the Editor regarded Ember, having noticed her lack of surprise. "You look like you knew Max. You were looking at him before I pointed him out."

"Well done," Ember muttered as she was shackled first, on the Doctor's left side. "So I saw him. Big whoop. Considering he's taking up the entire ceiling and won't shut up, I'm surprised no one else looked up too."

The Editor rolled his eyes, but let it drop as Rose and the Doctor were shackled next to her. "Create a climate of fear and it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilise an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote."

"So all the people on Earth are like... slaves." Rose concluded.

"Well, now, there's an interesting point." The Editor said. "Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?"

"Yes." The Doctor said simply.

"Oh." The Editor pouted. "I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? Yes?"

"Yes."

"You're no fun."

The Doctor shook the shackles lightly. "Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am."

"Oh, he's tough, isn't he. But, come on. Isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."

"You can't hide something on this scale." Rose pointed out. "Somebody must have noticed."

The Editor conceeded. "From time to time, someone, yes, but the computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains. I can see the smallest doubt and crush it." He made a fist. "Then they just carry on, living the life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual, when of course, they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing."

Ember had been looking at various reflective surfaces while they talked, and finally she spotted Cathica peer around a corner. The brunette discreetly nudged the Doctor with her foot to get his attention, helping him notice their audience.

"What about you? You're not a Jagrabelly." Rose said.

"Jagrafess." The Doctor supplied.

"Jagrafess. You're not a Jagrafess. You're human."

The Editor shrugged. "Yeah, well, simply being human doesn't pay very well."

"But you couldn't have done this all on your own."

"He didn't," Ember said, making them look at her. Unbeknownst to them, Cathica was also looking. "Max isn't his only boss."

"Your smart friend is correct. No. I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to... install himself."

"No wonder, a creature that size." The Doctor jerked his head at the creature above them. "What's his life span?"

"Three thousand years."

"That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, it stays alive." The Doctor explained for Cathica, who's eyes were wide as she saw the truth. "Satellite Five is one great big life support system."

"But that's why you're so dangerous." The Editor said. "Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown. Who are you?"

He snapped his fingers, and the manacles let out an electric shock. Rose, Ember and the Doctor flinched, obviously in pain. It only lasted a few seconds, but Ember and Rose faired less than the Time Lord, panting.

"Leave them alone." He shouted. "I'm the Doctor, she's Rose Tyler, and she's Ember. We're nothing, we're just wandering."

The Editor didn't believe him. "Tell me who you are!"

"I just said!"

"Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly-" The Editor stopped suddenly, eyes widening as the Jagrafess growled above them. "Time Lord."

The Doctor froze. "What?"

"Oh, yes. The last of the Time Lords in his travelling machine. Oh, with his little human girl from long ago." He touched Rose's cheek before looking at Ember. "And the strange girl who appears and disappears."

"You don't know what you're talking about." The Doctor said.

The Editor grinned. "Time travel."

"Someone's been telling you lies."

"Young master Adam Mitchell?" The Editor snapped his fingers, bringing up a video feed of Adam, sat in a broadcast chair with light streaming into an open port on his forehead.

Rose looked shocked and disgusted. "Oh, my God. His head!"

"What the hell's he done?" The Doctor was flabbergasted and outraged. "What the hell's he gone and done? They're reading his mind. He's telling them everything."

"And through him, I know everything about you." The Editor was smiling so wide it looked like he cheeks would hurt later. "Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T A R D I S. Tardis."

"Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first."

"Die all you like. I don't need you. I've got the key."

On the screen, a key on a chain was slowly lifted out of Adam's pocket, and he could do nothing but watch.

The Doctor looked at Rose. "You and your boyfriends!" He then looked at Ember. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Ember flinched, knowing he'd be cross with her. "I was trying to help Suki! I'm sorry, I couldn't watch him the whole time!"

The Editor, either not noticing the exchange or not caring, looked like he'd won the lottery. "Today, we are the headlines. We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing."

Ember nudged the Doctor again, nodding her head at the reflection of Cathica, and he quickly understood. "And no one's going to stop you because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughter house if they're told it's made of gold."

Cathica looked thoughtful, then disappeared from their view. A few moments later, alarms began to blare.

"What's happening?" The Editor asked, startled. He turned to his frozen workers. "Someone's disengaged the safety." A moment later, the screen changed to show Cathica, who was now in the smaller broadcast room, having moved the corpse from the main chair and sat herself in it, her port open. "Who's that?!"

"It's Cathica!" Rose cried.

"And she's thinking." The Doctor added. "She's using what she knows."

The Editor was getting worked up. "Terminate her access."

"Everything I told her about Satellite Five. The pipes, the filters, she's reversing it. Look at that." The ice around them was starting to melt rapidly. "It's getting hot."

"I said, terminate." The Editor commanded Suki, pressing his hands over hers on the terminal. "Burn out her mind."

The consoles began to explode and the dead operators collapsed like puppets with strings cut. A tremor shook the room as Rose's manacles snapped open.

"She's venting the heat up here." The Doctor said. "The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and now it's sitting on top of a volcano."

"Yes, I'm trying, sir," the Editor called up at the Jagrafess as it growled in fury. "But I don't know how she did it. It's impossible. A member of staff with an idea."

"A person with a brain finds out the truth, and you didn't think she'd do this?" Ember muttered as she watched the man push Suki off her seat to sit himself. "It's not that much of a shock."

Rose, meanwhile, had gone into the Doctor's leather jacket and got his sonic. "What do I do?"

"Flick the switch!" He instructed her before addressing the Editor. "Oi, mate, want to bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body, massive bang." He was finally freed and make quick work of Ember's restraints. "See you in the headlines!"

He took off with Rose and Ember, the trio dodging falling chunks of ice as the whole place shook. Just as they reached the lift, Ember suddenly remembered. "Doctor! Cathica!"

"Stay here." He took off. Rose and Ember waited tensely for what felt like forever until the Doctor came running back, pulling a slightly dazed Cathica behind him. The four of them entered the lift as they heard a massive bang from the main room.

* * *

Back on floor 139, the workers were trying to recover from the shock that taken hold. The Doctor was sat at a table with Cathica, Rose stood just behind him. Adam, having been freed when Cathica took control earlier, was hovering by the Tardis as though afraid they'd leave without him. Ember was on the other side of the blue box, looking small and ashamed.

"We're just going to go." The Doctor was saying. "I hate tidying up. Too many questions. You'll manage."

Cathica looked like a deer caught in headlights. "You'll have to stay and explain it. No one's going to believe me."

The Doctor stood up. "Oh, they might start believing a lot of things now. The human race should accelerate. All back to normal."

"What about your friend?" Cathica asked, looking behind him at Adam.

The Doctor looked at the boy and frowned. "He's not my friend."

"Now, don't-" Rose began, but then stopped as the two reached the Tardis.

"I'm all right now. Much better. And I've got the key." Adam pulled out said key. "Look, it's... It all worked out for the best, didn't it? You know, it's not actually my fault, because you were in charge..."

The Doctor didn't bother speaking to him, instead snatching the key and shoving him into the Tardis. Rose and Ember were quick to get in before he piloted them away.

Ember didn't look at the Doctor, but she moved up to him. "Doctor, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But even though you're right to be mad, you need to know this. Adam left a message on an answering machine at his home. It sounds like static to us, but it's the archive of Satellite Five."

She turned and moved away, not noticing the Doctor glance at her in concern before he concentrated on piloting. It didn't take long before they landed again and the Doctor shoved the startled boy out and into a normal front room. Ember stayed in the doorway, just in sight and watching.

"It's my house. I'm home!" Adam gasped. "Oh, my God, I'm home! Blimey. I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock."

The Doctor didn't bother to humour him, getting straight to the point. "Is there something else you want to tell me?"

"No. What do you mean?"

The Doctor turned and moved to where the phone sat, a small light blinking. He picked it up, hearing the static on the other end, before looking at Adam again. "The archive of Satellite Five. One second of that message could've changed the world." The three younger travellers watched as he put the phone back down and then held the sonic to it. As he stepped away, the machine sparked and exploded, making them flinch. "That's it, then. See you."

Adam blinked, confused. "How do you mean, see you?"

"As in goodbye." The Doctor clarified as he reached the door of the Tardis.

"But what about me? You can't just go. I've got my head. I've got a chip type two. My head opens."

"What, like this?" The Doctor snapped his fingers, opening the port in Adam's forehead.

Adam frowned, snapping his own fingers to close the port. "Don't."

"Don't do what?" Click. The port opened again.

"Stop it!" Click, the port closed.

Rose held out a hand before the Doctor could click his fingers again. "All right now, Doctor, that's enough. Stop it."

Adam sent Rose a grateful look. "Thank you." But then frowned when Rose herself clicked her fingers. "Oi!"

"Sorry, I couldn't resist."

The Doctor frowned at him. "The whole of history could have changed because of you."

"I just wanted to help." Adam protested.

"You were helping yourself."

"And I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry, and I am, I really am, but you can't just leave me like this."

"Yes I can. 'Cause if you show that head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble. Be average, unseen. Good luck."

"But I want to come with you!"

"I only take the best."

He turned and stepped into the Tardis. Then, to Ember's surprise, his arm came back out to grab hers and pull her in after him. She was just able to hear the front door of the house and a woman's voice before the Tardis door shut.

"Let me get this straight in my head." The Doctor said to her, firmly but not showing the anger Ember thought he had for her. "You tried to warn Suki, but because of that you couldn't warn Adam?"

Ember nodded, though she was confused. "I knew that Suki would have died on floor 500. I didn't want to expose her, but I thought maybe if I gave her a heads up, she might have been able to hold out long enough until we got there. I was wrong. But it was either I try to warn her about the danger, or I go and try to stop Adam from doing something stupid. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I know you're mad..."

The Doctor was about to answer when Ember flinched, feeling the burning sensation starting to build up again. He was obviously trying to tell her something before she jumped, but she couldn't hear him. From the Doctor's point of view, the light that normally enveloped her faded, revealing her gone, and his face fell. She thought he was mad at her...

The Doctor turned and walked to the console, starting up the Tardis. Rose had just stepped in, looking around. "Ember jumped. Off we go."

"Doctor-"

"I know you gave him that key, but I'm not mad at you," he wanted that to be clear. "You were trying to show him something brilliant, it was his own fault he did what he did."

"What about Ember?" Rose asked. "She probably thinks you're mad at her."

The Doctor pursed his lips. "She does think I'm mad at her, but she jumped before I could say anything. I'll tell her next time."

Rose hesitated a moment before leaving the console room, knowing that the Doctor needed a bit of time to himself. The Doctor watched her leave before he faced the monitor, looking at the circular symbols that made up his home language. It was displaying what little he already knew about the young woman who would mysteriously jump up and down his timeline with no control of it herself. Also on the screen were some other bits of information about her that he'd collected from their adventures so far, but he knew that the Ember he'd just been with had not yet done them herself. One clear indication was the lack of a scar, it's origins also unknown.

"Ember..." he murmured. "Who exactly are you?"

* * *

And there we go! Hope you like it!

Next Time: Ember goes from out of the heat and into the cold.


	3. Chapter Three: Cold War

Okay, here's the next one! I've been encouraged by a few more people following the story, and I'd love to hear what you think so far. I'm hoping to keep it going.

So, onwards!

* * *

Chapter Three: Cold War

Ember had been sweating thanks to the heat in Satellite Five, but when the burning sensation left her this time, she found herself sitting in freezing, salty water. Looking around, she saw that she was in an enclosed space of cold metal with several banks and computers with flashing lights. It was also quite dark, so she found it difficult to tell where she was. She was just getting to her feet when she heard voices in a corridor to her left.

"We arrived here out of thin air. You just saw it happen."

"I didn't."

The first voice came back, and she realised it was the Eleventh Doctor. "Your problem, mate, not mine."

Ember moved into the corridor, toward the voices, but then she froze when something large appeared through another door, taking up the whole space, and was between her and the voices.

The next voice took her a few moments to remember, but then it clicked. Clara. "We were sinking."

"Yes." The Doctor said.

"What happened?"

"We sank."

"No, what happened to the Tardis, I mean."

"Never mind that. Listen. Captain, breath's precious down here. Let's not waste it, eh?"

A new voice answered. "You're right. Maybe I can save a little oxygen by having you both shot!"

"What does it matter how we arrived? The important thing is to get..." Clara trailed off as the large being began breathing loudly, getting their attention. Ember stepped into the doorway the thing had come from, trying to remember what it was. "...Out."

"Exactly! Number one priority, not suffocating." The Doctor obviously hadn't seen what the rest had, since he was the only one with his back to the creature. "Eh? Ah. Oh, thank you. Finally seeing sense. Now, what sort of state is the sub in?"

"Doctor." Clara sounded scared, but the Doctor didn't seem to notice.

"What about the radio? Can we send a-"

"Doctor!"

"What!" The creature made a hissing sound behind him. "What is that? Gas? Could be gas."

Ember was just able to see through a small gap between the creature and the wall, and could see the Doctor turn around to finally see it himself. "Ah. It never rains but it pours."

"We were drilling for oil in the ice." One of the other men, Grisenko if Ember remembered correctly, spoke out of her line of sight. "I thought I'd found a mammoth."

"It's not a mammoth."

"No."

_"They really thought it was a mammoth?"_ Ember silently scoffed. _"It isn't even big enough to be one."_

Clara stepped closer warily. "What is it, then?"

"It's an Ice Warrior." The Doctor said, awe beginning to grow in his voice. "A native of the planet Mars. And we go way back. Way back."

Another man, who Ember was sure was a Russian named Zhukov, looked almost insulted. "A Martian? You can't be serious."

"I'm always serious. With days off."

"Doctor..." Clara half moaned.

"Just keeping it light, Clara. They're scared."

"They're scared? I'm scared."

Then, just within Ember's viewpoint, a young man raised a gun. In response, the martian pointed his own arm and the weapon on it began to power up.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor got between them. "Please, please. Wait, just... There is no need for this. Just hear me out. You're confused, disorientated. Of course you are. You've been lying dormant in the ice for, for, for how long?" He clicked his fingers at someone. "How long, Professor?"

Grisenko blinked for a moment before answering. "By my reckoning, five thousand years."

"Five thousand years? That's a hell of a nap. Can't blame you if you've got out of the wrong side of bed. Look, nobody here wants to hurt you." He pushed the man's arm down. "Please, just... Why don't you tell us your name?"

Zhukov looked even more surprised, if that were possible. "What are you talking about? It has a name?"

"Of course it has a name. And a rank. This is a soldier, and it deserves our respect."

"This is madness. That is a monster!"

"Skaldak."

The Doctor smiled as the creature spoke before it clicked what it had said. "What did you say?"

"I am Grand Marshal Skaldak."

The Doctor's face fell. "Oh, no."

Ember caught movement at the corner of her eye and she turned her head to see that a man had appeared from the adjacent corridor, holding a long stick that crackled with electricity at the end: a cattle prod. Without thinking, she lunged and tried to grab it from him. "No, don't!"

But her cry was too late; the prod hit the Martian in the side from behind, electrocuting him as he roared with pain. And because Ember had grabbed the prod near the dangerous end, she caught the current too. She screamed for several seconds until the current stopped, but she could no longer feel her limbs. Before she could fall, however, the Doctor quickly managed to grab her and hold her to him.

"You idiot!" He snapped at the man who'd attacked the Martian. "You idiot."

Ember shivered as feeling returned, only now she felt like every muscle had been burned. What was puzzling her though was that she was still breathing. That cattle prod knocked Skaldak unconscious, yet she was still awake. That should have killed her. "Doctor... how...?"

"I'll explain later, I promise," He soothed before looking at the unconscious alien before them. "Grand Marshal Skaldak."

Clara, slightly shaken, took another step forward. "You know him."

The Doctor sighed as he held Ember close. "Sovereign of the Tharsisian caste. Vanquisher of the Phobos Heresy. The greatest hero the proud Martian race has ever produced."

Zhukov looked confused at the appearance of another person, but had apparently decided to leave it for now. "So what do we do now?"

"Lock him up." The Doctor ordered before turning his attention to Ember. He could feel her muscles still spasming from the electricity, and saw that her left hand - the one closest to the dangerous end of the prod when she'd grabbed it - had a sharp burn across the palm. "Ember, you alright?"

"C-Could be better," she stammered. "Doctor, that should have killed me. Why didn't it?"

The Doctor hesitated, but eventually looked her in the eye. "It's because you're part Time Lord. How long has it been?"

Ember could tell he wasn't telling her the whole truth, but looking at the men dragging away the unconscious Martian made her hold her questions for now. "Third trip for me. Just came from satellite five, the Ponds before that."

"Thought so. I recognise that jacket." The Doctor had tensed at the mention of the Ponds, but shook it off in favour of looking her over. "Look at you."

"Doctor," Captain Zhukov gently cut in. "I don't know who you are or where you and your ladies came from, but you seem to be the one who knows what's going on. What exactly have we unearthed?"

"Ok, first off, I'm not his lady." Clara quickly said. "Second; Doctor, you said that was a warrior, but you looked at him like he was a legend. Explain."

The Doctor sighed, shrugging off his purple coat and putting it over Ember's shoulders, which she was puzzled about but left it as he addressed the humans. "The Ice Warriors have a different creed, Clara. A different code. By his own standards, Skaldak is a hero. It was said his enemies honoured him so much, they'd carve his name into their own flesh before they died."

Clara rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah. Very nice. He sounds lovely."

"An Ice Warrior?" Zhukov asked, looking disbelieving. "Explain."

"There isn't time."

"Try me."

"Martian reptile known as the Ice Warrior. When Mars turned cold they had to adapt. They're bio-mechaniod. Cyborgs." The Doctor explained quickly. "Built themselves survival armour so they could exist in the freezing cold of their home world, but a sudden increase in temperature and the armour goes haywire."

"Like with the cattle prod thing." Clara said in realisation.

The Doctor nodded. "Like with the cattle prod thing. Bit of a design flaw. To be honest, I've always wondered why they never sorted it. Oh look, you've got me telling you about them and I said there wasn't time."

"Is he that dangerous?"

"This one is."

Ember looked to see the professor, Grisenko, pull his headphones on, a puzzled look on his face. That meant that Skaldak was now sending out the signal in an attempt to contact his kind.

The young man from earlier stepped in. Ember remembered his name was Stepashin. "Why are we listening to this nonsense, Captain? These people are clearly enemy agents."

Clara blinked. "Huh?"

"Spies, Captain."

Clara rolled her eyes again. "Pretty bad spies, mate. I don't even speak Russian."

Stepashin looked at her now, he and Zhukov confused. "What?"

"I don't..." Clara paused, then leaned towards the Doctor. "Am I speaking Russian? How come I'm speaking Russian?"

The Doctor looked incredulous. "Now? We have to do this now?"

"Are they speaking Russian?"

"Seriously? Now?" The Doctor caved. "It's the Tardis translation matrix."

Stepashin, apparently having enough, turned to Zhukov again. "In my opinion, Comrade Captain, this creature is a Western weapon."

Ember tuned out the Doctor and Clara to concentrate as Zhukov repeated in puzzlement. "A weapon?"

"Survival suit." Stepashin said. "What is the alternative? The little green man from Mars?"

"Correction." Grisenko said. "It's a big green man from Mars."

Stepashin gave him a flat look. "I don't appreciate your levity, Professor."

"Why does that not surprise me? Maybe they're telling the truth."

"The truth?"

"Yes, a revolutionary concept, I know."

Stepashin huffed, facing the Captain. "It's essential that we inform Moscow of what we have found."

Zhukov frowned. "The radio's out of action, in case you hadn't noticed, Stepashin."

"They have our last position. They will find us. When they do..."

"...Yes?" Zhukov pressed when the younger man trailed off.

"Well, the Cold War won't stay cold for ever, Captain."

"For God's sake, Stepashin, you're like a stuck record. We have other priorities right now. I want you back on repairs immediately. We need to keep this ship alive. Dismissed."

Stepashin blinked, confused at the brush off. "Sir?"

"Dismissed, Stepashin."

Stepashin hesitated, but then turned to leave. Ember stepped slightly into his path to get his attention. "Be careful. Watch your back."

The Doctor watched until Stepashin left before addressing Zhukov. "All we needed to do was let Skaldak go and he'd have forgotten us. But you attacked him. You declared war. 'Harm one of us and you harm us all.' That's the ancient Martian code." He gestured to Grisenko, or more specifically his headphones, where a beeping could be heard. "You hear that? Skaldak has sent out a distress call. He will bring down the fires of hell just for laying a glove on him."

Zhukov looked at him. "Unless you talk to it?"

"I'm the only one who can."

"No. Out of the question. We're not losing you. I'll do it."

That caught the Doctor by surprise. "What?"

"You can talk to it through me."

"Skaldak won't talk to you." The Doctor shook his head. "You're an enemy soldier."

"And how would he know that?"

"A soldier knows another soldier. He'll smell it on you. Smell it on you a mile off."

Zhukov raised a brow. "And he wouldn't smell it on you, Doctor?"

The Doctor hesitated. "Just let me in there before it's too late. It can't be you or any of your men."

"Well, it can't be you."

"Ahem." Clara cleared her throat. "Well, there really is only one choice, isn't there. I don't smell of anything, to my knowledge."

"You?" The Doctor looked shocked. "No! No! No way. You're not going in there alone, Clara."

Ember stepped forward. "I'll go in too."

If the Doctor looked worried for Clara, he looked downright terrified for her. "No! Not you. Definitely not you."

"And why not?" Ember stepped closer. "I'm no soldier. Do you think I can't handle it?"

"No, it isn't that."

"If you're worried, don't. I can tell you now that Clara will be fine. I'll only be there for moral support."

"Absolutely not. No, no. Never."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Clara and Ember were stood outside the torpedo room where Skaldak was being held. There was only one headset and one lamp between them, so Clara had the former while Ember had the latter. Ember also now sported a bandage on her left hand, though she was sure it wasn't hurting nearly as much as it should.

Clara put on the headset while Ember opened the door, the two girls stepping into the dark room. Inside, they could just make out the restrained Martian chained to the girders.

"Yeah," Clara said, obviously replying to the Doctor over the headset, before addressing the Martian. "Grand Marshal Skaldak."

A beat passed, and Clara put her clenched right fist to her left shoulder, Ember copying the move that turned out to be the salute that the Doctor showed them to perform.

"Sovereign of the Tharsisian caste. By the moons, I honour thee." Clara continued, stepping closer. "Grand Marshal, I'm... we're sorry about this. It isn't what you deserve."

The power abruptly cut out, making the already dark room even darker. Ember squinted, trying to keep a lookout for when Skaldak would try to escape.

"Oh." Clara deadpanned. "Oh, great." She waited a few more seconds before she spoke to Skaldak again. "You're a long way from home. And five thousand years adrift in time."

Ember wasn't sure, but for a moment it felt like the air shifted around them. She looked around, but nothing obvious was different.

Clara continued speaking. "Please, let us help you. You are not our enemy."

"And yet I am in chains." Skaldak spoke in his deep, hissing voice. If it hadn't been for the fact that she knew already, Ember wouldn't have thought he'd get loose.

"Doctor," Clara whispered. "What do I say?"

"Yes, Doctor." Skaldak cut in, making both girls freeze. "What should she say?"

There was a pause, and then Clara stated flatly "I heard that." She then did something with her headset so that the Doctor's voice could be heard.

"You are restrained until we can trust each other, Skaldak." He said calmly. "You would do exactly the same in my position, and don't even think about using that sonic weapon. Not in the torpedo room."

"I was Fleet Commander of the Nix Tharsis. My daughter stood by me." Skaldak said. "It was her first taste of action. We sang the songs of the Old Times. The Songs of the Red Snow."

Ember suddenly realised that despite the emotion in the Martian's voice, his body hadn't even twitched. She looked around again, but could see no movement.

Skaldak continued. "Five thousand years. Now my daughter will be dust. Only dust..."

"No, no, no. Listen, your people live on, Skaldak." The Doctor tried to reassure. "Scattered all across the universe. And Mars will rise again, I promise you. Just let me help you."

"I require no help. There will be no help."

The Doctor apparently noticed Clara stepping closer to the restrained Martian. "Careful, Clara."

"I'm okay." She replied.

"No, listen, Clara, don't get too close."

Ember wanted to stop her companion, but couldn't bring herself to move. "Clara, please."

Clara shook her head. "I'm okay. Doctor, something's wrong."

"What?"

"Something's..." Clara reached out and touched the helmet of the Martian, only for it to tilt backwards on hinges. "It's not there. It's gone!"

Ember and Clara watched as the rest of the armour opened, revealing it to be empty.

"Gone?" The Doctor's voice crackled in the headset. "Gone? Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

"It's got out!"

"It is time I learned the measure of my enemies." Skaldak spoke from somewhere around them, but they couldn't tell where. "And what this vessel is capable of."

"No, no, no. Skaldak!" The Doctor tried to reason, but was ignored.

"Harm one of us and you harm us all. By the Moons, this I swear."

"Clara, get out of there. Get out!" The Doctor's voice cut off. Clara and Ember continued to look around in a poor attempt to find the Martian in the room with them.

"You smell different to the others."

Skaldak's voice was right behind her, but she didn't dare look back. Instead she tried words. "What do you mean?"

"The humans smell similar to each other, but you..." Skaldak trailed off, almost like he was trying to find the right word. "Yours is different. There is something... ancient about you."

"Like the Doctor?"

There was a pause. "Not quite the same as him. Something older."

Ember blinked at that, puzzled. What was older than a Time Lord?

"Clara?" The Doctor's voice could suddenly be heard from the hall. "Clara? Ember!"

Clara bolted, running to the door and starting to open it. Before she could leave, something whooshed past her and down the passageway, too quick for the girls to see what it was.

The Doctor emerged a moment later, worry clear in his eyes. "Clara! Ember! Ember! Clara!" He'd grabbed Clara and checked her over for a moment before checking Ember for injuries.

"I'm okay." Clara said, giving a small, almost hysterical laugh of relief. "Ha, ha! I'm okay. I'm okay! Where did he go? How did I do? Was I okay?"

The Doctor gave her a look. "This wasn't a test, Clara."

"I know, but-"

"You were great, yeah."

"Really?"

"Really." The Doctor smiled at her before turning to Ember, pulling her in for a tight hug. "Are you alright?"

Nodding, Ember accepted the embrace. She wasn't much of a hugger back home, but in this new world she felt like she would need it a lot.

"Doctor?" Grisenko's voice made Ember turn to see him holding his headphones, a look of dread on his wizened face. "The signal. It's stopped."

The Doctor frowned. "Skaldak got no answer from his Martian brothers. Now he's given up hope."

"Hope of what?" Zhukov asked, having caught up to them.

"Being rescued. He thinks he's been abandoned. He's got nothing left to lose." The Doctor looked at Ember. "Any hints?"

Grisenko and Zhukov looked at the brunette in confusion, but Ember ignored them in favour of answering. "Someone else heard the signal. We just need to keep Skaldak busy until they get here."

The Doctor nodded. Clara looked a little bit lost but didn't question her further. Ember took that as a good sign.

"But what can he do, stuck down here like the rest of us?" Zhukov asked. "How bad can it be?"

Ember rolled her eyes. "Seriously? You really have to ask? He thinks he's all alone and he's in a sub with who he feels are his enemies. What would you do?"

"This sub's stuffed with nuclear missiles, Zhukov. It's fat with them." The Doctor explained. "What do you think Skaldak's going to do when he finds that out? How bad can it be? How bad can it be? It couldn't be any worse."

Ember braced herself just as a loud thud echoed, and water suddenly gushed from a nearby hatch. After a brief scramble to close the hatch, everyone gave the Doctor flat looks as he flinched and murmured "Okay. Spoke too soon."

No one bothered with an answer as they were led by Zhukov back to the control room. Once they got there, the Captain immediately addressed his crew.

"Comrades, you know our situation. The reactor is drowned. We are totally reliant on battery power and our air is running out. Rescue is unlikely, but we still have a mission to fulfil. If the Doctor is right, then we are all that stands between this creature and the destruction of the world. Control of one missile is all he needs. We are expendable, comrades. Our world is not. I know I can rely on every one of you to do his duty without fail. That is all."

Clara nudged the Doctor where he was messing around at a console. "Even if a missile did get launched, that wouldn't be it, would it?"

The Doctor blinked, puzzled. "It?"

"End of the world. Game over." Clara said. "I mean, what if they fired one by accident. What would happen then?"

"I told you, Clara. Earth is like a storm waiting to break, right now. Both sides baring their teeth, talking up war. It would only take one tiny spark."

"Yeah, but the world didn't end in 1983, did it, or I wouldn't be here."

The Doctor sighed now as he watched the crew arm themselves. "New. History's in flux. It can be changed. Re-written."

Ember looked at Clara. "Sometimes time can adapt to the changes, sometimes it doesn't."

"How many of us are left?" The Doctor called to Zhukov.

"Twelve." Was the stiff reply. "And we can't find Stepashin."

Ember rolled her eyes. "I told him to watch his back. Why do they never listen?"

"I ask myself that most of the time," the Doctor said to her quietly before he addressed the group. "We split up and comb this sub. One team stays here to guard the bridge."

Zhukov frowned. "That's it? That's the plan?"

"Well, it's either that or we stay here and wait for him to kill us."

There was a pause before Zhukov stiffened his jaw. "Okay."

"Is it true you've never seen one outside of its shell suit?" Clara asked.

The Doctor looked at her like she'd just swore. "Shell suit? Clara! For an Ice Warrior to leave its armour is the gravest dishonour. Skaldak is desperate. He is deadly and we have got to find him."

"Will this help?" Grisenko piped up. They looked at him to see him holding up the Doctor's screwdriver.

"Ah! You saved it." The Doctor took it back with a grin.

Grinsenko shook his head, next holding up a Barbie doll with blonde hair. "No, no, it was on the floor with this."

The Doctor quickly snatched the doll back and held it close in what could be interpreted as a hug. "Ah, Professor, I could kiss you."

"If you insist."

"...Later."

Ember meanwhile was frowning at the Doctor's reaction to the doll. If she remembered the show right, he should have kissed the doll, but instead he'd hugged it like a best friend. That didn't make sense. She caught the Doctor's eye, and she was puzzled even further when he winked and waved the doll at her.

It was decided that Grisenko would team up with the Doctor, Ember and Clara, and they made they way to their section to start searching.

"So, why have you got a cattle prod on a submarine?" Clara said to Grisenko, who held the cattle prod, as the Doctor soon grew bored enough to mess around with equipment.

The old man shrugged. "Polar bears."

"Ah, right."

"We run across them when we're drilling. Can be quite nasty, you know."

Clara shuddered. "I'd swap one for an Ice Warrior any day. Cuddlier."

Grisenko smiled at her. "Courage, my dear. I always sing a song."

"What?"

"To keep my spirits up."

"Yeah, that would work, if this was Pinocchio."

Whatever the Doctor was messing with let out an alarm. Though no one seemed overly concerned, the Doctor had enough sense to look sheepish while Ember raised an eyebrow at him.

Grisenko shook his head before addressing Clara again. "Do you know Hungry Like The Wolf?"

"What?"

"Duran Duran. One of my favourites. Come on."

Clara shook her head with a light scoff. "I'm not singing a song."

The Doctor opened a hatch and looked inside it. A low growl echoed around them.

"What was that?" Clara asked, spooked.

"Pressure. Just pressure." The Doctor replied as he closed the hatch. "We're seven hundred metres down, remember?"

"Don't worry about it. Think of something else." Grisenko tried coaxing the young woman to sing. "I am hungry like the wolf."

"I'm not singing." She said flatly.

"Don't you know it?"

"Course I know it. We do it at karaoke, the odd hen night."

"Karaoke? Hen night?" Grisenko repeated in puzzlement. "You speak excellent Russian, my dear, but sometimes I don't understand a word you're talking about."

Suddenly, screams and inhuman growls broke the otherwise silent sub. The Doctor took off, followed by Clara and Grisenko. Ember hesitated for a moment before giving chase.

When she reached them, she paled at what she saw. In the show, it only showed a stiff arm and hand sticking up to show that something bad had happened to someone. Now she was seeing it for herself. At least two men were torn to pieces, showing their innards for the world to see.

"Good God. Torn apart." Grisenko murmured, looking mortified. "It's a monster, a savage."

"No, Professor. Not savage. Forensic." The Doctor corrected, kneeling to get a better look. "Well, he's dismantled them. Skaldak's learning. Learning all about you. Your strengths, your weaknesses." He stood, looking torn between sorrow for the men he couldn't save and anger for the one that ended them. "Come on."

They followed him to another passageway, this one also baring a ladder going up. The Doctor stopped at the ladder and turned off the screwdriver, then turned to face them.

"Stay here." He said firmly.

"Okay." Clara said.

"Stay here. Don't argue."

"I'm not."

The Doctor paused, realising that she was in fact not arguing. "Right. Good."

Grisenko moaned as the Doctor climbed the ladder. "Oh, it's a young man's game, all this dashing about. Clara, what is it?"

The aforementioned girl was looking scared. "I was doing okay. I mean, I went in there and I did the scary stuff, didn't I? I went in there with the Ice Warrior and it went okay. Actually, it went just about as badly as it could have done but that wasn't my fault."

"Not at all." Grisenko agreed, Ember nodding.

"So I'm happy about that."

"Yes."

"Chuffed."

"And so you should be. So what's the matter?"

Clara hesitated, looking torn, before speaking her mind. "Seeing those bodies back there. It's all got very... real. Are we going to make it?"

"Yes, of course."

Something creaked and then seemingly growled around them. Ember stiffened.

"What was that?" Clara asked again.

"The Doctor told you, it's just the boat settling. Tell me about yourself." Grisenko noticed that Ember seemed to be handling the situation a bit better than Clara, so he decided to help the latter. "What do you like doing? Clara? Clara?"

"Stuff. You know, stuff." Clara replied, distracted by the creaking.

Grisenko nodded. "Stuff. Very enlightening. And the Doctor, what he said. Is it true you're from another time? From our future? Clara?"

"Yes."

"Tell me what happens."

That got Clara's attention. "I can't."

"Well, I need to know." Grisenko took a step forward.

Clara shook her head. "I'm not allowed."

"No, please..."

"I can't!"

"Oh for the love of," Ember cut herself off before she could swear. "He only wants to know about a band!"

Grisenko nodded. "Ultravox, do they split up?"

Clara laughed. "Funny. You're funny."

Before anyone said anything else, two clawed hands reached from above, grabbing Clara by her head. She screamed as Grisenko pulled out a gun.

"Let her go!" He yelled, firing a shot that most likely missed but was enough to drive the Martian off. Ember ran over to check Clara as soon as she was free. "See? I don't just like Western music-"

"Look out!" Ember tried to call in warning, but was too late as Skaldak grabbed him the same way as he had done to Clara.

"No, please don't hurt him." Clara begged. "Please!"

"You attacked me." Skaldak growled, uncaring as the Doctor reappeared down the ladder. "Martian law decrees that the people of this planet are forfeit. I now have all the information I require. It will take only one missile to begin the process. To end this Cold War."

"Grand Marshal, there is no need for this." The Doctor said. "Listen to me."

Skaldak ignored him. "My distress call has not been answered. It will never be answered. My people are dead. They are dust. There is nothing left for me except my revenge."

"It doesn't have to be this way." Ember called. "Yes, these men attacked you, but they did so out of fear. And the man you're holding right now only attacked to defend someone."

The Doctor nodded. "There is something left for you, Skaldak. Mercy."

"Mercy?" Skaldak repeated, almost sounding amused, but then Zhukov appeared, holding a rifle himself.

"You must wear that armour for a reason, my friend." He said, taking aim at the shadows above. "Let's see, shall we?"

"No, Captain, wait!" The Doctor tried to hold him back, but to no avail.

"I will do whatever it takes to defend my world, Doctor."

"Yes, great, fine, good, but we are getting somewhere here. We are negotiating. Jaw-jaw not war-war."

"Churchill?" Grisenko asked, sidetracked despite fearing for his life.

"Churchill."

"Very well, we'll negotiate," Zhukov relented, but didn't move his weapon. "But from a position of strength."

"Excellent tactical thinking." Skaldak mused. "My congratulations, Captain."

"Thank you."

"Unfortunately, your position is not, perhaps, as strong as you might hope."

The Doctor frowned. "What do you mean?"

The sound of chains being dragged got their attention, and they looked past the Martian and his captive to see the armour it had been using before, stomping toward them like it had a will of its own.

Taking advantage of their surprise, Skaldak released Grisenko and in a swift flurry of movement returned to the armour, sealing himself back inside.

"He summoned the armour." The Doctor breathed.

"How did it do that?" Clara asked.

"Sonic tech, Clara. The song of the Ice Warrior." The Doctor spotted a man behind the armour holding up a rifle of his own, but was too late in his shout to stop him. "No!"

Skaldak barely even reacted to the shot, the bullet bouncing off the armour like it was nothing. "My world is dead but now there will be a second red planet. Red with the blood of humanity!"

"Skaldak!" The Doctor tried as the Martian turned and began to walk away. "Skaldak, wait!"

"He's going for the nukes!" Ember called, giving chase while the others moved to follow. By the time they all caught up (Ember was surprised how quick the Martian was in his armour), Skaldak had wired his suit up to one of the control panels that would launch the missiles, one of which was moving into position despite there being no key to unlock the commands.

"No!" The Doctor yelped, running up to the Martian. "Skaldak, wait! Wait, wait."

"He's arming the warheads." Zhukov exclaimed.

"Where is the honour in condemning billions of innocents to death?" The Doctor tried to play to one of Skaldak's best traits; his honour. "Five thousand years ago Mars was the centre of a vast empire. The jewel of this solar system. The people of Earth had only just begun to leave their caves. Five thousand years isn't such a long time. They're still just frightened children, still primitive. Who are you to judge them?"

"I am Skaldak!" The Martian growled as he turned to face the Doctor. "This planet is forfeit under Martian law."

"Then teach them. Teach them, Grand Marshal. Show them another way. Show them there is honour in mercy. Is this how you want history to remember you? Grand Marshal Skaldak, Destroyer of Earth. Because that's what you'll be if you send those missiles. Not a soldier, a murderer. Five billion lives extinguished. No chance for goodbyes. A world snuffed out like a candle flame!" Seeing that Skaldak wasn't backing down, the Doctor grabbed his sonic. "All right. All right, Skaldak, you leave me no choice. I'm a Time Lord, Skaldak. I know a thing or two about sonic technology myself."

"A threat? You threaten me, Doctor?"

The Doctor shook his head, the sonic lighting up a menacing red. "No. No, not you, all of us. I will blow this sub up before you can even reach that button, Grand Marshal. Blow us all to oblivion."

"You would sacrifice yourself?"

"In a heartbeat."

"And what of her?" Skaldak inclined his head towards Ember, making the brunette frown in confusion. "There is something in her that is more ancient than you. Would you sacrifice her?"

"She can jump timelines. In a split second she can get out of here, before either of us can reach our buttons. But even if she didn't..."

Ember frowned, about to say that she couldn't control the jumping, when the Doctor's hand found hers and gripped it tightly to silence her.

"Then it will be mutually assured destruction." Skaldak decided.

"Look into my eyes, Skaldak. Look into my eyes and tell me you're capable of doing this." The Doctor challenged. "Huh? Can you do that? Dare you do that? Look into my eyes, Skaldak. Come on. Face to face."

"Well, Doctor." The helmet of the armour opened, releasing a reptilian face with lidless eyes. "Which of us shall blink first?"

Neither backed down. The only reassurance was that neither looked like they were reaching for the button.

"Why did you hesitate?" Skaldak looked at Clara, who had spoken. "Back there, in the dark. You were going to kill this man, remember?" She gestured to Grisenko. "I begged you not to, and you listened. Why show compassion then, Skaldak, and not now? The Doctor's right. Billions will die. Mothers, sons, fathers, daughters. Remember that last battle, Skaldak? Your daughter. You sang the songs."

"Of the Red Snows." Skaldak said, for the first time looking as sorrowful as he sounded at the thought.

Suddenly the whole submarine shifted, like something outside had grabbed it. "What's happening?" Clara cried.

Skaldak however looked hopeful. "My people live. They have come for me!"

"We're rising." Zhukov said, recognising the feel. "We're rising!"

Grisenko had moved to a monitor that showed how deep they were. "Six hundred metres. Five fifty."

After what felt like forever, the sub shuddered as it broke the ice on the surface.

"We've surfaced." The Doctor announced, looking at Skaldak. "Your people have saved us."

"Saved me, not you." Skaldak corrected.

"Just go, Skaldak, please. Please, go in peace."

Shimmering light engulfed the Martian for a moment before it faded; a teleport to take him away.

"We did it." Clara murmured. "We did it!"

"No. No, no, no, no, no. It's still armed. A single pulse from that ship..." The Doctor glanced at them from where he was still holding up his sonic. "I'll destroy us if I have to. I will destroy us if I have to. Show mercy, Skaldak. Come on. Show mercy."

The next few moments were tense, no one daring to breathe, and then Clara began singing softly under her breath. "I'm lost and I'm found, and I'm hungry like the wolf."

There was a beep and a click, and the missiles disarmed, returning to their safer positions. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The Doctor lowered his sonic, switching it off. "Now we're safe."

Clara moved to hug him for a long moment, then pulled back and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Saved the world, then?"

"Yeah."

"That's what we do."

"Yeah." The Doctor turned to Ember, taking her by surprise by pulling her in for a hug and holding her tight. "You good?"

"Yea," Ember muttered from where her face was practically squashed to his shoulder before she shifted to free it in order to breathe. "Doctor, he said I was ancient... what did he mean?"

The Doctor smiled sadly, though she couldn't see it herself. "Spoilers."

Ember grumbled at that, but knew better than to argue. Once she was (finally) released, the group made their way through the sub, Zhukov reassuring his crew that they were alive and safe. They soon reached the conning tower, where they were able to step outside and watch the Martian ship hovering above them.

"The Tardis!" Clara suddenly exclaimed, turning to the Doctor. "Where's the Tardis? You never explained."

"Oh well, don't worry about that." The Doctor tried to brush her off, but failed.

Clara glared at him. "Stop saying that. Where is it?"

"Yeah. Well, I wasn't to know, was I?"

"Know what?"

"I've been tinkering, breaking her in." The Doctor looked at Ember. "I'm allowed."

Ember raised a brow at him. "This coming from someone who hasn't passed their test?"

Clara was looking angry. "What did you do?" The Doctor muttered something intelligible. "Huh?"

"I reset the HADS." He said louder.

"The what?"

"The HADS. The Hostile Action Displacement System. If the Tardis comes under attack, gunfire, time winds, the sea, it relocates."

Clara groaned. "Oh, Doctor."

The Doctor shrugged. "Haven't used it in donkey's years. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Well, never mind, it's bound to turn up somewhere." As if on cue, his sonic started whirring. "Ooo. Ha, see? Right on cue. Brilliant."

"Brilliant." Clara repeated, unimpressed.

"The Tardis is at the pole."

"Not far, then."

Ember shook her head. "Wait for it. Which pole?"

The Doctor hesitated. "The south pole."

Clara's face fell. "Ah."

"Could we have a lift?" The Doctor called to Zhukov, who burst out laughing and turned away. The Doctor mocked him for a moment before looking up at the Martian ship, giving it the Martian salute as it took off.

Ember watched the ship for another few moments before she turned her gaze to her bandaged hand. It was easy to remove, and when she did so she was surprised to find that the burn had healed quite rapidly, now at the stage of a light scar across her palm. Ember turned to reenter the sub, her face set in a thoughtful frown. So many things were popping up that didn't appear in the show, and a lot of it was revolving around her.

How much change was her presence causing?

* * *

Well, here we are! Hope this is good. Let me know what you think, and if you have any questions I'll try to answer them as best I can without spoiling it too much

Next up: Ember meets Ten!


	4. Chapter Four: The Unicorn and The Wasp

Sorry for the delay. I'm a little miffed, if I'm honest. I had a saved section where I had snippets of things I would later add to this fic, but something screwed up on the app and it ended up copying this chapter to it, so I lost all the snippets.

Sadly, that means that there may be times where there's a longer wait between chapters. I apologise and hope you can understand and be patient with me.

Now that that's out of the way... Here's the next one!

* * *

After reaching the Tardis in the South Pole, Ember found herself staying with Clara and the Doctor for several days, which surprised her, but she was grateful for the brief reprieve. However, just as she'd let her guard down, dressed in tracksuit bottoms and warm sweater, the burning sensation began to build up as they were discussing where to go next.

"See you soon," the Doctor said, though what he said next puzzled her. "And sorry in advance."

She couldn't ask what he meant, for in the next moment she was gone. When she was able to take in her next surroundings, she was confused for a moment as to where she was before she noticed the coral-like structures in the hallway she'd landed in. This meant that it was either Nine's or Ten's era.

"Oh, it's you!" A woman's voice made her turn, to find Donna Noble walking up to her. Ten's era, then. "You had me going for a minute there."

Ember frowned, puzzled. The burning sensation that often accompanied her jumping hadn't faded completely this time, leaving her with a feeling of mild heartburn, but she waved it off in favour of greeting the redhead. "Hi, Donna. Um, this is gonna sound weird, but..."

Donna watched her for a moment before her eyes widened in understanding. "This is the first time you see me, isn't it? You told me something like this earlier, but I didn't really get it."

"Yea. Time travel, huh?" Ember smiled. "So, what's going on?"

"Oh, it's the nineteen twenties, and we're going to a party!" Donna moved to loop their arms together, not noticing Ember's slight flinch at the sudden contact, and began to pull her along. "I was going to get changed, so let's find something together!"

Ember hesitated. If she remembered right, the nineteen twenties meant they were about to meet Agatha Christie. That meant dresses. "Um, I'm not really into dresses..."

"Oh, I know," Donna replied with a grin. "But I'm sure we'll find something for you."

It didn't take long for the two women to find something. Donna wore a beaded flapper dress that had a variety of black and brown shades, while Ember - who refused a lot of dresses because they were a little shorter than she thought was acceptable in the time period they were in, which made her wonder why Donna was trying to get her into one - went with a longer version that was more of a rust red colour. Her hair was a little too long to have it styled for the fashion, so she put it into a neat bun instead, while Donna had hers done the traditional way.

Ember was able to weasel out of wearing high heels in favour of Mary Janes that matched her dress, saying that it was better to do so in case there's running.

As the two women headed back out towards the console room, Donna paused and looked at Ember closely. "Hang on a minute. I was gonna suggest makeup for your scar, but it's not there."

"Again with the scar," Ember murmured before facing the redhead. "I don't know anything about a scar, except it's supposed to be on my face."

Donna purses her lips, realising her mistake, before she sighed. "You told me how you got it and when, and made me promise not to tell you. But you have it more often than not, so I don't think it'll be long before it happens. I think I've seen you, what, twice now without it, so..."

Ember nodded as they reached the console room. "I wanna ask, but I get why I shouldn't. But... any hints as to when?"

"Hmm..." Donna looked thoughtful. "You said you got it after-"

A loud knocking from the doors leading outside interrupted, along with the Tenth Doctor's voice. "We'll be late for cocktails!"

Ember and Donna laughed, silently deciding it was better to not continue, and moved toward the doors. Donna stopped the brunette and motioned her to wait before she opened the door and moved into the frame.

"What do you think?" She purred, striking a pose. "Flapper or slapper?"

The Doctor pretended to look her over before he smiled. "Flapper. You look lovely."

Donna grinned. "Oh! I got a surprise for you!" She leaned back into the doorway and grabbed Ember by the arm, pulling her into view. "Look who dropped in!"

"Ember!" The Doctor grinned, moving to hug the brunette, and then paused as he took in her outfit. "You-you're wearing a dress."

Ember blushed, ducking her head. "Yea, I couldn't come out in tracksuit and sweater. I know, I don't look as good as Donna-ow!"

Donna gave her a stern look, having also given her a swift smack on her shoulder. "Now stop that. You look great, doesn't she, Doctor?"

The Doctor nodded, having not taken his eyes off of her the whole time. "You look amazing."

If possible, Ember's blush darkened at the compliment. "Thanks."

The Doctor grinned, offering an arm to each woman, gently leading them towards a grand old Manor House, where they went round the back to find a small gathering underway. A young footman started a record playing while an Indian housekeeper gave orders.

"Look sharp." She called. "We have guests."

"Good afternoon." The Doctor greeted as the young footman approached them.

"Drinks, sir? Ma'ams?" He asked.

Donna gave a charming smile. "Sidecar, please."

"A lime and soda, thank you." The Doctor added.

Ember smiled. "A lemonade, please."

A butler stepped up, calling the attention to a petite older woman. "May I announce Lady Clemency Eddison."

The Doctor kept grinning as the woman approached them. "Lady Eddison."

"Forgive me, but who exactly might you be," Lady Eddison asked, puzzled. "And what are you doing here?"

"I'm the Doctor, and my... partner here is Miss Ember." The brunette had to fight hard to keep the surprise off her face at how he introduced her. "And this is Miss Donna Noble, of the Chiswick Nobles."

Donna gave a small curtsy, putting on a posh accent. "Good afternoon, my lady. Topping day, what? Spiffing. Top hole."

"No, no, no, no, no. No, don't do that. Don't." The Doctor murmured to her before he flourished the psychic paper at Lady Eddison. "We were thrilled to receive your invitation, my lady. We met at the Ambassador's reception."

Instantly her expression turned warm, obviously pretending to know them now that they had 'proof'. "Doctor, how could I forget you? But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose."

The Doctor looked around. "A unicorn? Brilliant. Where?"

"_The_ Unicorn. The jewel thief?" Lady Eddison clarified, looking amused. "Nobody knows who he is. He's just struck again. Snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose."

"Funny place to wear pearls." Donna muttered, taking her drink from the footman who'd returned with their requests. Ember hid her smile behind her own drink.

"May I announce Colonel Hugh Curbishley," the butler - Greeves, if Ember remembered right - called, introducing an old man in a wheelchair pushed by his younger son. "the Honourable Roger Curbishley."

Lady Eddison smiled. "My husband, and my son."

"Forgive me for not rising." The Colonel said with a small chuckle. "Never been the same ever since that flu epidemic back in eighteen."

Roger gave Donna an appreciative glance over. "My word, you are a super lady."

"Oh, I like the cut of your jib. Chin, chin." Donna flirted with a grin.

The Doctor shook the man's hand, pulling him away from Ember, to the brunete's confusion. "Hello. I'm the Doctor."

"How do you do?"

"Very well."

The footman approached Roger with a drink on a tray. "Your usual, sir?"

"Ah. Thank you, Davenport." Roger took the drink, giving the footman what he thought was a subtle look. "Just how I like it."

"How come she's an Eddison, but her husband and son are Curbishleys?" Donna asked, missing the exchange.

"The Eddison title descends through her." The Doctor replied. "One day Roger will be a lord."

Greeves spoke again, introducing a fashionable young woman in a black and red flowered dress. "Robina Redmond."

"She's the absolute hit of the social scene. A must." Lady Eddison whispered to them before greeting the woman. "Miss Redmond."

Robina smiled as they shook hands. "Spiffing to meet you at last, my lady. What super fun."

"Reverend Arnold Golightly." Greeves announced a man with short blonde hair and a reverend collar.

"Ah, Reverend. How are you?" Lady Eddison greeted. "I heard about the church last Thursday night. Those ruffians breaking in."

The Colonel nodded. "You apprehended them, I hear."

"As the Christian Fathers taught me, we must forgive them their trespasses." The reverend said, sounding modest. "Quite literally."

Ember shivered, knowing what was underneath that cover.

"Some of these young boys deserve a descent thrashing." Roger said.

Davenport gave him a look that was missed by most but the travellers saw as longing. "Couldn't agree more, sir."

Donna caught the exchange this time, huffing. "Typical. All the decent men are on the other bus."

"Or Time Lords." The Doctor teased, nudging Ember with his elbow and smiling. The brunette just smiled, not certain where she fit into it.

"Now, my lady." Roger addressed his mother. "What about this special guest you promised us?"

"Here she is." Lady Eddison chirped as a blonde woman in a blue dress approached. "A lady who needs no introduction."

"No, no, please, don't." The woman was saying, a light blush on her face as she reached them. "Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need. Agatha Christie."

Donna blinked. "What about her?"

"That's me."

Donna's mouth fell open. "No. You're kidding."

The Doctor recovered quickly and shook the woman's hand enthusiastically. "Agatha Christie. I was just talking about you the other day. I said, I bet she's brilliant. I'm the Doctor. This is Donna and Ember. Oh, I love your stuff. What a mind. You fool me every time. Well, almost every time. Well, once or twice. Well, once. But it was a good once."

Agatha looked at him calculatingly. "You make a rather unusual couple."

Instantly the Doctor and Donna shook their heads as they rambled. "Oh, no, no, no, no. We're not married."

"We're not a couple."

"Well, obviously not. No wedding ring." Agatha gestured to their hands before pointing out something else. "And you're holding this young lady by the arm."

The Doctor looked to find that indeed, he hadn't released Ember's arm. "Oh. Oh, you don't miss a trick."

"I'd stay that way if I were you. The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture."

Lady Eddison gently guided Agatha's attention into herself. "Mrs Christie, I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers. I've read all six of your books. Er, is, er... Mister Christie not joining us?"

A flash of irritation crossed Agatha's face, but she hid it quickly. "Is he needed? Can't a woman make her own way in the world?"

The Colonal chuckled. "Don't give my wife ideas."

"Now Mrs Christie, I have a question." Roger asked as they began to wonder away from the time travelers. "Why a Belgian detective?"

The Doctor carefully pulled away from Ember in order to move to the Colonel, gently taking the newspaper the man had on his lap. "Excuse me, Colonel."

"Belgians make such lovely buns." Agatha answerd the earlier question to gain light laughter from her audience, not noticing the Doctor discreetly waving Donna and Ember over to him.

Roger looked around. "I say, where on Earth's Professor Peach? He'd love to meet Mrs Christie."

The reverend tilted his head. "Said he was going to the library."

"Miss Chandrakala," Lady Eddison called to the housekeeper. "Would you go and collect the Professor?

"At once, Milady."

Meanwhile, Ember and Donna reached the Doctor, who showed them the newspaper. "The date on this newspaper."

"What about it?" Donna asked.

"It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared." The Doctor explained. "She'd just discovered her husband was having an affair."

Donna looked at the laughing group. "You'd never think to look at her, smiling away."

The Doctor shrugged. "Well, she's British and moneyed. That's what they do. They carry on."

Ember nodded. "It's easy to hide it all behind a mask and pretend nothing's wrong."

"Except for this one time. No one knows exactly what happened. She just vanished. Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake. Ten days later, Agatha Christie turns up in a hotel in Harrogate. Said she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about the disappearance till the day she died, but whatever it was..." The Doctor trailed off.

Donna's eyes widened. "It's about to happen."

"Right here, right now."

"Professor!" Miss Chandrakala screamed as she ran out of the house. "The library! Murder! Murder!"

Everyone ran towards the house, but it was the Doctor enter who reached the library first, followed by Donna and Agatha. Ember stayed by the door, along with everyone else who'd crowded in the doorway.

Greeves spoke first. "Oh, my goodness."

The Doctor checked the body, pulling his glasses on. "Bashed on the head. Blunt instrument. Watch broke as he fell. Time of death was quarter past four."

As he leapt up to look over the desk, pulling his glasses on, Donna picked up a large piece of lead pipe that was lying nearby, blood coating one end. "A bit of pipe. Call me Hercules Poirot, but I reckon that's blunt enough."

Agatha, who'd also been able to get in the room before the others had crowded it, spotted a piece of burnt paper in the grate. Swiftly she plucked it up and put it in her bag, not noticing that the Doctor had seen her do it via a reflection. As she straightened, she caught Ember watching her, who gave her a brief nod before looking elsewhere.

"Nothing worth killing for in that lot." The Doctor spoke up, pretending he hadn't seen any of it. "Dry as dust."

"Hold on." Donna said. "_The Body In The Library_? I mean, Professor Peach, in the library, with the lead piping?"

"Let me see." Lady Eddison was saying as the others tried to push their way in.

The Colonel was trying to do the same, confined as he was. "Out of my way."

"Gerald?"

Reverend Golightly gasped, putting on what Ember knew to be an act. "Saints preserve us."

"Oh how awful." Redmond whispered.

Agatha straightened. "Someone should call the police."

At that, the Doctor sprang to his feet, brandishing his psychic paper again. "You don't have to. Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland Yard, known as the Doctor. Miss Noble and Miss Ember are the plucky young girls who help me out."

Lady Eddison gasped. "I say."

"Mrs Christie was right. Go into the sitting room." The Doctor continued. "I will question each of you in turn."

"Come along. Do as the Doctor says." Agatha commanded, gently ushering the group out of the room. "Leave the room undisturbed."

As soon as they were alone, Donna turned to the Doctor. "The plucky young girls who help me out?"

The Doctor had gotten back onto the floor, looking at the boards carefully. "No policewomen in 1926."

"I'll pluck you in a minute. Why don't we phone the real police?"

"Well the last thing we want is PC Plod sticking his nose in," the Doctor quickly whipped out a forensic knife to scoop up a sticky substance off the floor. "Especially now I've found this. Morphic residue."

"Morphic?" Donna repeated. "Doesn't sound very 1926."

"It's left behind when certain species genetically re-encode."

"The murderer's an alien?"

"Which means one of that lot is an alien in human form."

"I could tell you," Ember piped up. "I've seen this, you know?"

The Doctor frowned. "And if you tell us now? What will the murderer do?"

Ember paused, thinking it over. "But if I don't, at least two more people will die..."

"I know you want to save everyone," the Doctor said, looking at her. "I do too. But it might be worse if you tell us."

Ember sighed. "Then here's a hint. Think of it like a murder mystery."

Donna nodded. "Yeah, but think about it. There's a murder, a mystery, and Agatha Christie."

The Doctor sniffed at the residue, then tried to get the redhead to go the same. "So? Happens to me all the time."

"No, but isn't that a bit weird? Agatha Christie didn't walk around surrounded by murders. Not really. I mean, that's like meeting Charles Dickens and he's surrounded by ghosts at Christmas."

That made the Doctor pause. "Well..."

"Oh, come on!" Donna laughed, clearly not about to believe that had happened. "It's not like we could drive across country and find Enid Blyton having tea with Noddy. Could we? Noddy's not real. Is he? Tell me there's no Noddy."

The Doctor, having pocketed the tool and taken off his glasses, turned and gently took her by the shoulders, stating firmly "There's no Noddy." Before he moved to leave the room, his companions right behind him.

Donna chuckled as they reached the stairs, following the Doctor and Ember. "Next thing you know, you'll be telling me it's like _Murder On The Orient Express_, and they all did it."

"Murder on the Orient Express?"

The voice made them turn to find Agatha coming out from a doorway near the stairs, having waited for them.

"Ooo, yeah. One of your best." Donna tried to play off.

"But not yet." The Doctor muttered to her.

Agatha looked thoughtful. "Marvellous idea, though."

Donna smiled. "Yeah. Tell you what. Copyright Donna Noble, okay?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Anyway. Agatha and I will question the suspects. Donna, Ember, you search the bedrooms. Look for clues." He leaned over to whisper to them "Any more residue." Before he leaned back and then pulled a large magnifying glass from his pocket. "You'll need this."

Donna looked at it, unimpressed. "Is that for real?"

"Go on. You're ever so plucky."

Taking the magnifying glass, Donna turned and went up the stairs, Ember following. When they reached the hallway, Donna then turned to Ember. "Plucky, huh. I go one side and you go the other?"

Ember nodded, going for the first door on the left while Donna went right. The brunette knocked before trying the door and entering, finding a neat guest room that didn't look like it was in use. Shaking her head, Ember left the room and went to the next one, finding a small bag that suited a woman sitting on the bed. It wasn't open, and Ember had a strict self-rule of 'don't touch someone else's bag', so she left it alone, instead going to the window. Glancing out, she noticed that some of the flowers in the garden below had been damaged, right below this very window.

She couldn't see it from her view, but Ember knew that Robina must have thrown her thief tools out already.

Figuring there was nothing else to do, Ember left the room and went to the next one. This one had an open dresser drawer, and a quick glance revealed another reverend shirt tucked neatly inside. This was Reverend Golightly's room, then.

The next room was another unused guest room, but before Ember could turn to leave she felt a strong hand shove her forward into the room, slamming the door shut behind her. By the time she could recover and get back to the door, it had been locked from the outside.

"Hey!" She yelled, hitting the door. "Hey!"

No one answered, and Ember fought to calm herself as she looked around the room she was trapped in. No way out... her vision swam as she began to panic, making her lean back against a wall before sliding down until she was sat against it. Pulling her knees up to hold them, she trembled and tried not to cry as she gasped.

_"It's okay,"_ she tried to tell herself, but her panicking was starting to make her chest ache. Tears pricked her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face in her knees.

She wasn't aware of how much time passed, but she was brought back into focus as she heard a voice from outside the room.

"There's nowhere to run," it was the Doctor. "Show yourself!"

A moment passed where Ember could hear other doors opening, and then she jumped to her feet and ran at the door, banging her fist on it. "Doctor! Someone! Let me out!"

There was a ruckus, the sound of something scraping against the wood floor. Then the door opened to reveal the Doctor, who took one look at her before gathering her up in his arms and holding her close. Ember would have probably been embarrassed about being seen like this by almost everyone in the hallway, but she was too worked up to care as she sobbed, burying her face in the Doctor's chest as though she could hide there. The Doctor was gently hushing her, reassuring her that she was safe, while Donna came up to gently put her hand on the young woman's back.

"What happened to her?" Agatha asked.

The Doctor looked at the blonde. "She doesn't like being trapped. There's a... history behind it, but it's not my place to tell."

Ember either hadn't heard or ignored them as she finally managed to gather herself enough to pull away from the Doctor, though the man himself seemed to hesitate a moment longer before letting her go, and he kept a steady hand on her back. "The housekeeper... is she...?"

"Yea," The Doctor replied before he turned to the group. "Let's go downstairs. We have some bad news."

As they slowly made their way back to the drawing room, Lady Eddison was informed of her housekeeper's end, which had her in tears by the time they got to the room.

"My faithful companion," She sniffled. "This is terrible."

Davenport stepped forward, unsure. "Excuse me, my lady, but she was on her way to tell you something."

"She never found me. She had _an appointment with death_ instead." Lady Eddison wept.

"She said, the poor little child." The Doctor said, glancing around. "Does that mean anything to anyone?"

"No children in this house for years." The Colonel gave Roger a flat look, proving that his 'secrets' were not so secret after all. "Highly unlikely there will be."

Lady Eddison turned to Agatha, wiping her eyes. "Mrs Christie, you must have twigged something. You've written simply the best detective stories."

"Tell us, what would Poirot do?" Reverend Golightly asked. Ember glared at him, though it was overlooked. She had a sneaky suspicion that he'd been the one to lock her in that room.

"Heavens sake!" The Colonel snapped, unknowingly bringing Ember out of her thoughts. "_Cards On The Table_, woman. You should be helping us."

Agatha looked increasingly flustered at the attention. "But, I'm merely a writer."

"But surely you can crack it." Robina tried to encourage. "These events, they're exactly like one of your plots."

Donna nodded. "That's what I've been saying. Agatha, that's got to mean something."

"But what? I've no answers." Agatha finally said, shaking her head. "None. I'm sorry, alml of you. I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us, then it's the Doctor, not me."

No one stopped her when she got up and left the room. Ember caught Donna's eye and jerked her head in an indication to follow, which the redhead did. After some small talk, and a request for more drinks, the Doctor took Ember gently by the arm and led her to another room - the sitting room where he and Agatha had questioned the suspects in.

Once he was sure they were in private, the Doctor gently put his hands on Ember's biceps, leaning down slightly to catch her eye. "Feeling better?"

Ember nodded, then paused as the Doctor gave her a look that clearly showed that he wouldn't be fooled, and then sighed. "I'm coping. I dunno what happened. I was checking the rooms when someone pushed me in and locked the door."

"They didn't actually lock it," the Doctor gently corrected. "No key. But they jammed a chair under the handle so you couldn't get out."

"Ah." That explained the wood scraping sound she'd heard. "I'm sorry, I know it was stupid of me to panic..."

"Hey, now, it wasn't stupid," the Doctor interjected. "You have anxiety and are prone to panic attacks. It's normal for you to react like that. I just want to make sure you're alright now. I know how well you can hide it."

Ember looked at him. "How much about me do you know?"

The Doctor paused, thoughtful. "You've told me a fair bit. Some of it I figured out for myself. But I like to think I'm one of the lucky ones that you let in, when I know you have trouble trusting people." He gave her a small smile. "I also know a couple of things you probably wouldn't tell me right now, but you do in your future."

Ember looked away. She didn't want to talk about what she could have shared with him. "You know... there's more than one thing happening here. All of them are each hiding something from everyone else."

The Doctor looked at her, picking up on the change of topic, but let it go. "And how many of them have lowered themselves to murder?"

Ember paused. "Only one, and as you know, that killer is the wasp. The others... well, some of them have little secrets that aren't related, but a couple of them have something big in their closets, if you get what I mean."

"You said earlier that two more people will die after the professor. One already has. Any hints on who's next?" He watched as Ember paused again. "You don't have to say exactly when and how, but perhaps we can still save them."

"... It's Roger." Ember finally replied. "He's one of the small secret ones: he wasn't alone when he went for a walk, but instead with the footman we saw earlier."

The Doctor nodded. "1926 is a bad time to be gay, so he'd want to hide it. Makes sense."

Ember raised a brow. "I'm not sure about gay, either. He did like Donna, remember? Anyway, that's not important. Another clue should be coming in right about now."

As if answering her cue, the door opened and Donna strode in, followed by Agatha. The redhead waved a small case at them. "Look what we found in the flowerbeds."

The four of them sat around the small coffee table with the case atop it. The Doctor carefully opened it, to find several small lock-picking tools inside.

"Ooo. Someone came here tooled up." He mused. "The sort of stuff a thief would use."

Agatha's eyes widened in realisation. "The Unicorn. He's here."

The Doctor nodded. "The Unicorn and the wasp."

Greeves stepped into the room with a tray holding four drinks. "Your drinks, ladies. Doctor."

"Very good, Greeves." The Doctor thanked him as he grabbed his lime and soda. He was about to take a sip when Ember suddenly took it and tipped it into a nearby potted plant.

"Oops, clumsy me," She murmured, feigning surprise as Donna and Agatha looked over. "I'm so sorry, Doctor."

The Doctor raised a brow when she mouthed 'Poison', but then nodded and took her lemonade instead. She rolled her eyes but let him continue.

"How about the science stuff." Donna asked. She was puzzled at how Ember had 'accidentally' spilled the drink, but knew better than to question it. "What did you find?"

The Doctor, having taken a sip of the lemonade, made a noise before he pulled out a small vial containing something that looked like honey. Ember figured that they'd found the stinger while she'd been trapped. "Vespiform sting. Vespiforms have got hives in the Silfrax galaxy."

Agatha shook her head. "Again, you talk like Edward Lear."

"But for some reason, this one's behaving like a character in one of your books." The Doctor pointed out as he took another sip of lemonade. He offered the glass to Ember, who shook her head, before he placed it on the table next to him.

"Come on, Agatha." Donna encouraged. "What would Miss Marple do? She'd have overheard something vital by now, because the murderer thinks she's just a harmless old lady."

"Clever idea." Agatha mused. "Miss Marple? Who writes those?"

Donna blinked before she said coyly. "Er, copyright Donna Noble. Add it to the list."

"Donna." The Doctor said.

"Okay, we could split the copyright."

"No. Something's inhibiting my enzymes." Ember froze, her heart leaping into her throat as the Doctor suddenly jerked, his body tensing. "Argh! I've been poisoned."

Donna and Agatha moved to either side of him, the redhead unsure. "What do we do? What do we do?"

Agatha saw the lemonade and brought it to her nose for a sniff. "Bitter almonds. It's cyanide. _Sparkling Cyanide_."

"No!" Ember whimpered. "I didn't know! I thought it was in his drink, I swear, that's why I ditched it!"

The Doctor jerked to his feet and made for the door, though he did collapse a couple of times, and stumbled his way to the kitchen, followed by the three ladies. The kitchen staff looked surprised as he grabbed Davenport.

"Ginger beer!" He gasped.

The footman was stumped. "I beg your pardon?"

"I need ginger beer." The Doctor moved to look through the shelves, only to come to a stop when Ember got in front of him, holding out a bottle.

"The gentleman's gone mad!" One of the cooks exclaimed.

The Doctor grabbed the bottle and immediately guzzled its contents, pausing to the pour it over himself and spit out the excess as Agatha ran up to him. "I'm an expert in poisons, Doctor, there's no cure. It's fatal!"

"Not for me. I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal." He explained quickly. "Protein! I need protein."

Ember was already there, passing him a small jar. Donna barely saw the contents as he stuffed them into his mouth. "Walnuts?" She faltered as the Doctor began miming something that shook. "I can't understand you. How many words? One. One word. Shake. Milk shake. Milk? Milk? No, not milk? Shake, shake, shake. Cocktail shaker. What do you want, a Harvey Wallbanger?"

The Doctor finally got through the mouthful of walnuts, only to cry out "Harvey Wallbanger?"

"Well, I don't know!"

"How is Harvey Wallbanger one word?"

"What do you need, Doctor?!" Agatha cut in.

"Something salty!" Ember called from where she was looking at the jars. Where the hell were the anchovies?!

The Doctor pointed at her. "Salt. I was miming salt. It's salt. I need something salty."

Agatha moved to stand beside Ember and help her look while Donna grabbed a small bag. "What about this?"

"What is it?"

"Salt."

"No, too salty."

"Oh, that's too salty." Donna sassily copied, rolling her eyes, as Agatha grabbed a jar.

"What about this?" She asked, and a second later the Doctor was downing the contents.

"What's that?"

"Anchovies."

Donna nodded, watching as the Doctor held his palms up like he was trying to scare someone. "What is it? What else? It's a song? Mammy? I don't know. Camptown Races?"

"Camptown Races?"

"Well, all right then, Towering Inferno."

"He needs a surprise, a shock!" Ember cried. She was stood to one side, crying as she tried to work out what had happened. To her surprise, Donna ran up to her and pulled her by the arms to face the panting Doctor.

"Right then." She said. "Big shock, coming up."

With that, she shoved Ember at the Doctor, who caught the bewildered brunette before she fell. Ember knew there was no time to fight or persuade Donna to do it instead, so she grabbed the man by the lapels of his suit and pulled him down to her level, crushing her lips against his.

It was quick, and not the best of first kisses. It was clumsy as teeth caught her lip, and the taste of ginger beer and walnuts and anchovies mixed with something she couldn't identify, but it did the trick as the moment she pulled away the Doctor leaned back, blowing grey smoke out of his mouth with a gasp. Everyone looked on in varying degrees of surprise and confusion.

The Doctor finally took a breath and relaxed, wiping his mouth. "Detox. Oh my. I must do that more often."

"You mean the detox, right?" Ember asked, shaky as she silently prayed that he wouldn't be too mad with her.

"Er, yes, I mean... the detox." The Doctor himself looked unconvinced, let alone anyone else.

"Doctor, you are impossible." Agatha said, as shocked as the other humans. "Who are you?"

All she got was a cheeky wink from the Doctor, but it was short lived as Ember then burst into tears. The Doctor took a step forward to console her but stopped when she stepped back, shaking her head, before all but fleeing the room. A look to Donna had her understanding a silent request before he took off after her.

It didn't take him long to find her in a bathroom, and he gently knocked on the door. "Ember? Are you alright?"

There was a pause, and then a click as the door was unlocked and opened to reveal Ember, still crying, though looking like she'd been trying to clean herself up. "H-how did you find me so quick?"

"Call it a natural instinct." He tried to joke, though it didn't have as much of an effect as he'd hoped. "I'm guessing this is all still new to you?"

"Kind of." Ember stepped out of the bathroom, allowing him to lead her into the small drawing room they'd been in before. She sat down heavily with the Doctor kneeling in front of her. "Fourth adventure in. Two in your future, the original Satellite Five and now."

The Doctor nodded. "And I'm guessing you tried to stop me from getting poisoned?"

Ember closed her eyes, cursing herself for nearly crying again. She wasn't the one who'd almost died, after all. "I knew your drink was spiked. I didn't think about mine."

"It might not have been my drink at all," The Doctor said softly, making her look at him in confusion. "Someone locked you in a room, then your drink was spiked. I'm wondering if you were the target all along."

"But why me?" Ember asked, puzzled. "I'm just a 'plucky girl'. Killing me off wouldn't have made a difference."

The Doctor took her hands, rubbing his thumbs over her skin. "Now there I've got to disagree with you. You're helping me. I saw you getting what I needed."

Ember scoffed. "Only cuz I saw it in the show. Without that knowledge I'm useless."

"Now, now none of that." The Doctor said. "It's still early for you, but you are brilliant."

Ember shook her head, clearly not believing him, but didn't get to speak as the door opened and Donna warily stepped in with Agatha close behind.

"Are you alright?" Agatha asked.

"Yea, I'm good. I'm okay." Ember said as she stood up. The Doctor was frowning, obviously not believing her, but she didn't notice as he hid it when she turned to face him. "And there's a little trick we can pull on the wasp, since we're on the subject of poisons..."

* * *

Night had fallen, thunder and lightning crashing outside the manor. Inside, the hosts and guests were having a candlelit dinner, sat at a large table in the dining room decorated with a vase of _yellow Irises_. Agatha and Robina had changed into new dresses, the former in a bronze and the latter in a gold beaded. The people calmly sipped at their soup, until the Doctor broke the silence.

"A terrible day for all of us." He said, a napkin tucked into his shirt. "The Professor struck down, Miss Chandrakala taken cruelly from us, and yet we still take dinner."

Lady Eddison shrugged. "We are British, Doctor. What else must we do?"

"And then someone tried to poison Ember, maybe me as well. Any one of you had the chance to put cyanide in our drinks. But it rather gave me an idea."

"And what would that be?" Reverend Golightly asked.

"Well, poison. Drink up." Almost everyone stopped eating, looking at their soups in horror, as the Doctor and Ember took another spoonful before the former continued, pulling the napkin from his shirt. "I've laced the soup with pepper."

The Colonel grinned. "Ah, I thought it was jolly spicy."

"But the active ingredient of pepper is piperine," the Doctor added.

Ember then cut in. "Which is often used as an organic insecticide instead of chemicals. So, anyone not feeling well?"

At that moment there was a crash of thunder outside and the large windows blew open, the cold wind snuffing out the candles and leaving them with only the flashes of lightning to illuminate the room.

"What the deuce is that?" The Colonel said, but was shushed by the Doctor.

"Listen, listen, listen, listen."

A buzzing made itself known among the startled humans, and Lady Eddison gasped. "No, it can't be."

"Show yourself, demon." Agatha murmured as she stood.

"Nobody move. No, don't! Stay where you are!" The Doctor's shouts went unheard as the wasp appeared in a flash of lightning, causing everyone to panic and scatter. "Out, out, out, out, out, out!"

The Doctor, Donna, Agatha and even Greeves had managed to get out. Ember took her chance and ducked under the dining table, watching the legs of everyone else. Lady Eddison was frozen in her seat, as was her son. The Colonel's wheelchair had tipped sideways, landing him on the floor. Robina, being the Unicorn, was taking her chance in the dark to steal the Firestone that Lady Eddison was wearing. That left the reverend, who Ember knew was the wasp.

She heard the buzzing get louder and closer to where Roger was sitting, so she crawled over to where his legs were under the table. Luckily for her, the young man was leaning more on the back legs of his chair, giving Ember enough leverage to grab the back legs and pull, which resulted in the chair tipping back and Roger falling with a cry. A split second later there was a loud thunk on the table above her and she looked up to find the tip of a large knife sticking in the wood. As she crawled out from under the table, she saw that while she'd prevented the killing blow, Roger had still been knicked in the shoulder with the blade, though the wound was far from fatal.

Ember was grabbing some of the napkins to help staunch the bleeding when the Doctor burst into the room, an ornamental sword in hand as he checked around for the wasp. A quick look herself told her that Reverend Golightly was back in human form, pretending to look as scared as the rest of the room, and Robina had returned to her seat to play innocent as well.

"My jewellry." Lady Eddison gasped, patting her neck where the necklace had been. "The Firestone, it's gone. Stolen."

"Roger!" Davenport, who'd come to the room with some other servents, cried out before he could stop himself, seeing his secret lover injured. Ember pressed the napkins against the wound, thankful that it didn't seem deep enough to hit an artery.

Lady Eddison got up and moved to Roger's side, crying in a mixture of shock and relief. "My son. My child."

* * *

The Doctor, Ember and Agatha were quiet as they waited in the drawing room. Roger had been taken by Greeves to the nearest hospital, though it had been obvious that Davenport had wanted to do it.

Donna entered the room, sighing. "That poor footman. Roger's injured and he can't even fuss him. 1926? It's more like the dark ages."

"Did you enquire after the necklace?" Agatha asked as Donna sat down.

"Lady Eddison bought it back from India. It's worth thousands."

"This thing can sting, it can fly." The Doctor thought aloud. He'd grabbed Ember by the hand after the incident in the dining room and hadn't let go since, much to her confusion. "It could wipe us all out in seconds. Why is it playing this game?"

"Maybe it thinks it has to," Ember suggested, giving a hint.

"Every murder is essentially the same." Agatha mused. "They are committed because somebody wants something."

"What does a Vespiform want?" The Doctor asked.

Agatha shook her head. "Doctor, stop it. The murderer is as human as you or I."

That made the Doctor look at her, realisation dawning as he moved to sit on the lounger opposite her. "You're right. Ah, I've been so caught up with giant wasps that I've forgotten. You're the expert."

"I'm not. I told you." Agatha replied. "I'm just a... purveyor of nonsense."

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Because plenty of people write detective stories, but yours are the best. And why? Why are you so good, Agatha Christie?" He gave her a moment before he explained. "Because you understand. You've lived, you've fought, you've had your heart broken. You know about people. Their passions, their hope, and despair, and anger. All of those tiny, huge things that can turn the most ordinary person into a killer. Just think, Agatha. If anyone can solve this, it's you."

A moment passed, and then Agatha gave a determined look and stood. "Gather everyone."

* * *

It didn't take long to gather everyone, and they were all now in the drawing room, confused and anxious as to what might happen next.

The Doctor moved to stand before them in front of the grand fireplace. "I've called you here on this _Endless Night_, because we have a murderer in our midst. And when it comes to detection, there's none finer. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, Agatha Christie."

Agatha stepped forward as the Doctor moved aside. "This is _A Crooked House_. A house of secrets. To understand the solution, we must examine them all. Starting with you... Miss Redmond."

The black haired girl looked surprised. "But I'm innocent, surely?"

"You've never met these people, and these people have never met you." Agatha said simply before delivering the punch. "I think the real Robina Redmond never left London. You're impersonating her."

"How silly. What proof do you have?"

"You said you'd been to the toilet..."

"Oh, I know this." Donna piped up from her seat on the sofa, eating grapes. Where she'd gotten them, Ember didn't know. "If she was really posh, she'd say loo."

Agatha picked up the lock picking case. "Earlier today, Miss Noble and I found this on the lawn, right beneath your bathroom window. You must have heard that Miss Noble and Miss Ember were searching the bedrooms, so you panicked. You ran upstairs and disposed of the evidence."

Robina shook her head. "I've never seen that thing before in my life."

"What's inside it?" Lady Eddison asked.

"The tools of your trade, Miss Redmond." Agatha opened the case, showing everyone the contents. "Or should I say... the Unicorn. You came to this house with one sole intention. To steal the Firestone."

There was a minut pause before Robina rolled her eyes and stood, dropping the posh act and gaining a cockney accent. "Oh, all right then. It's a fair cop. Yes, I'm the bleeding Unicorn. Ever so nice to meet you, I don't think. I took my chance in the dark and nabbed it." She reached into her dress and pulled out the stolen Firestone. "Go on then, you knobs. Arrest me. Sling me in jail."

Donna watched Robina toss the necklace to the Doctor before she spoke up. "So, is she the murderer?"

Robins rolled her eyes. "Don't be so thick. I might be a thief, but, well, I ain't no killer."

"Quite." Agatha agreed. "There are darker motives at work. And in examining this household, we come to you... Colonel."

The Colonel looked surprised for a second before he frowned, ignoring Ember when she tried to discreetly motion him to stop speaking. "Damn it, woman. You with your perspicacity. You've rumbled me."

To everyone's surprise (except Ember), he then stood up out of his wheelchair with no effort at all.

Lady Eddison gasped. "Hugh, you can walk! But why?"

The Colonel softened his face as he looked at her. "My darling, how else could I be certain of keeping you by my side?"

"I don't understand."

"You're still a beautiful woman, Clemency. Sooner or later some chap will turn your head. I couldn't bear that. Staying in the chair was the only way I could be certain of keeping you." He faced Agatha again. "Confound it, Mrs Christie, how did you discover the truth?"

"...Er, actually I had no idea. I was just going to say you're completely innocent."

"Oh. Oh."

"Sorry."

"Well... Well, shall I sit down then?"

"I think you better had."

"So he's not the murderer." Donna said as the Colonel sheepishly sat.

"Indeed, not. To find the truth, let's return to this." Agatha took the Firestone from the Doctor, holding it up to the light. "Far more than the Unicorn's object of desire. The Firestone has quite a history. Lady Eddison."

Lady Eddison frowned. "I've done nothing."

"You brought it back from India, did you not? Before you met the Colonel. You came home with malaria, and confined yourself to this house for six months, in a room that has been kept locked ever since, which I rather think means..."

"Stop, please."

Agatha smiled sympathetically. "I'm so sorry. But you had fallen pregnant in India. Unmarried and ashamed, you hurried back to England with your confidante; a young maid later to become housekeeper. Miss Chandrakala."

The Colonel was shocked. "Clemency, is this true?"

"My poor baby." Lady Eddison grabbed a tissue and tried to wipe her eyes. "I had to give him away. The shame of it."

"But you never said a word."

"I had no choice. Imagine the scandal. The family name. I'm British. I carry on."

The Doctor spoke up. "And it was no ordinary pregnancy."

The rest of the room turned to him in surprise as Lady Eddison gasped. "How can you know that?"

"Excuse me Agatha, this is my territory." The Doctor said before addressing the Lady. "But when you heard that buzzing sound in the dining room, you said, 'it can't be'. Why did you say that?"

"You'd never believe it."

"The Doctor has opened my mind to believe many things." Agatha said, encouraging the woman.

"It was forty years ago, in the heat of Delhi, late one night. I was alone, and that's when I saw it. A dazzling light in the sky. The next day, he came to the house. Christopher, the most handsome man I'd ever seen. Our love blazed like a wildfire. I held nothing back. And in return he showed me the incredible truth about himself. He'd made himself human, to learn about us. This was his true shape."

Ember closed her eyes, recalling the episode showing clips of the events.

"I loved him so much, it didn't matter. But he was stolen from me. 1885, the year of the great monsoon. The river Jumna rose up and broke its banks. He was _Taken At The Flood_. But Christopher left me a parting gift. A jewel like no other. I wore it always. Part of me never forgot. I kept it close... always."

"Just like a man." Robina scoffed. "Flashes his family jewels and you end up with a bun in the oven."

"A poor little child." Agatha mused. "Forty years ago, Miss Chandrakala took that newborn babe to an orphanage. But Professor Peach worked it out. He found the birth certificate."

Donna perked up. "Oh, that's maiden. Maiden name!"

"Precisely."

"So she killed him?"

Lady Eddison looked insulted. "I did not."

"Miss Chandrakala feared that the Professor had unearthed your secret." Agatha continued. "She was coming to warn you."

"So she killed her." Donna surmised.

"I did not."

"Lady Eddison is innocent." Agatha spared the woman any more grief. "Because at this point... Doctor."

"Thank you. At this point, when we consider the lies and the secrets, and the key to these events, then we have to consider it was you..." The Doctor had stood up as he spoke, and dramatically pointed at the redhead. "Donna Noble."

"What? Who did I kill?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "No, but you said it all along. The vital clue. This whole thing is being acted out like a murder mystery, which means it was you... Agatha Christie."

Agatha looked part surprised and part annoyed. "I beg your pardon, sir?"

Donna blinked. "So she killed them?"

"No. But she wrote. She wrote those brilliant, clever books. And who's her greatest admirer?" The Doctor turned on the spot. "_The Moving Finger_ points at you... Lady Eddison."

"Don't. Leave me alone."

"So she did kill them." Donna said.

"No. But just think." The Doctor knelt in front of Lady Eddison. "Last Thursday night, what were you doing?"

Lady Eddison looked puzzled at the seemingly unrelated question. "I was... I was in the library. I was reading my favourite Agatha Christie, thinking about her plots, and how clever she must be. How is that relevant?"

"And by coincidence..." Ember trailed off.

The Doctor stood, turning to face Reverend Golightly. "Just think. What else happened on Thursday night?"

There was a pause before the man realised he was being addressed. "I'm sorry?"

"You said on the lawn, this afternoon. Last Thursday night, those boys broke into your church."

"That's correct. They did. I discovered the two of them. Thieves in the night. I was most perturbed." Golightly smiled. "But I apprehended them."

"Really?" The Doctor said, his face clearly showing that he didn't believe it. "A man of God against two strong lads? A man in his forties? Or, should I say forty years old, exactly?"

Lady Eddison gasped, the pieces falling together. "Oh, my God."

"Lady Eddison, your child..." the Doctor added. "How old would he be now?"

"Forty... He's forty."

"Your child has come home."

Golightly tried to waved them off with a nervous laugh. "Oh, this is poppycock."

"Oh? You said you were taught by the Christian Fathers, meaning you were raised in an orphanage."

"My son." Lady Eddison murmured, still in shock. "Can it be?"

"You found those thieves, Reverend, and you got angry." The Doctor continued. "A proper, deep anger, for the first time in your life, and it broke the genetic lock. You changed. You realised your inheritance. After all these years, you knew who you were." He stood and swiped the Firestone. "Oh, and then it all kicks off, because this isn't just a jewel. It's a Vespiform telepathic recorder. It's part of you, your brain, your very essence. And when you activated, so did the Firestone. It beamed your full identity directly into your mind. And, at the same time, it absorbed the works of Agatha Christie directly from Lady Eddison. It all became part of you. The mechanics of those novels formed a template in your brain. You've killed, in this pattern, because that's what you think the world is. It turns out, we are in the middle of a murder mystery. One of yours, Dame Agatha."

Agatha blinked. "Dame?"

The Doctor flinched. "Oh. Sorry, not yet."

"So he killed them, yes?" Donna said, wanting to be sure. "Definitely?"

"Yes."

The Reverend looked at everyone who was staring at him. "Well, this has certainly been a most entertaining evening. Really, you can't believe any of this surely, Lady Edizzon."

The Doctor raised a brow. "Lady who?"

"Lady Edizzzzon." The buzzing was getting worse the more he tried to hide it, like a lisp.

"Little bit of buzzing there, Vicar."

"Don't make me angry."

"Why?" The Doctor challenged. "What happens then?"

Golightly stood up, his anger making it worse. "Damn it, you humanzz, worshipping your tribal sky godzz. I am so much more. That night, the universe exploded in my mind. I wanted to take what wazz mine. And you, Agatha Christie, with your railway station bookstall romancezz, what'z to stop me killing you?"

Lady Eddison gasped as a familiar purple haze appeared around the buzzing reverend. "Oh, my dear God. My child."

"What'zz to stop me killing you all?" The Reverend finally transformed, becoming the giant wasp.

Lady Eddison stood and held her arms out, tears in her eyes. "Forgive me."

"No, no, Clemency, come back." The Colonel, free to move now that his secret was out, jumped up and grabbed his wife, pulling her away. "Keep away. Keep away, my darling!"

"No!" Agatha shouted, holding up the Firestone. "No more murder! If my imagination made you kill, then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature!"

Agatha ran from the room, and the Doctor, Donna and Ember followed, with an angry wasp on their tail.

"Great, now it's chasing us!" Donna sassed.

They ran to the driveway, the Doctor and Donna slamming the front door shut. Agatha had by now gotten into a car and stopped not far from them, beeping the horn as the wasp burst through the doors and out into the night air.

"Over here!" She called. "Come and get me, Reverend."

"Agatha, what are you doing?" The Doctor yelled.

"If I started this, Doctor, then I must stop it!" With that she drove off. The wasp hesitated for a moment before giving chase.

"Come on!" The Doctor led them to another car and they were soon taking off after the wasp. Luckily there were no other cars out so late, so they were able to catch up so they could see Agatha's car and the wasp chasing after it.

"You said this is the night Agatha Christie loses her memory." Donna said.

The Doctor shook his head. "Time is in flux, Donna. For all we know, this is the night Agatha Christie loses her life and history gets changed."

"But where's she going?!"

"The lake!" Ember called, pointing to a sign saying 'Silent Pool'.

"She's heading for the lake." The Doctor agreed. "What's she doing?"

They soon reached the lake, where Agatha had parked near the water and had gotten out, using the Firestone to lure the wasp to her.

"Here I am, the honey in the trap." She called. "Come to me, Vespiform."

"She's controlling it." Donna realised.

The Doctor nodded as they got out of their car. "Its mind is based on her thought processes. They're linked."

"Quite so, Doctor." Agatha agreed. "If I die, then this creature might die with me."

"That's not how it works!" Ember cried, moving to stand between Agatha and the wasp. "Come on, you gotta snap out of it! You know this isn't some book!"

The wasp lunged at her for a moment, making her flinch but she held her ground as the Doctor ran to her side. "Don't hurt her! You're not meant to be like this. You've got the wrong template in your mind!"

"It's not listening to you!" Donna ran forward, grabbed the Firestone from Agatha and tossed it into the lake behind them.

"No!" Ember cried again, but it was too late. The wasp didn't hesitate to dive into the water after the Firestone. The four of them watched as the water bubbled and glowed purple.

"How do you kill a wasp?" Donna murmured. "Drown it, just like his father."

The Doctor looked at her in disbelief. "Donna, that thing couldn't help itself."

"Neither could I."

Agatha didn't look as ashamed. "_Death comes as the end_, and justice is served."

"_Murder at the Vicar's rage_." The Doctor glanced at the ladies giving him odd looks and shrugged. "Needs a bit of work."

"Just one mystery left, Doctor." Agathasaid, turning to face the Doctor. "Who exactly are you?"

Before anyone could speak, Agatha suddenly gasped and doubled over in pain. The Doctor quickly caught her before she fell and looked at the lake again.

"Oh, it's the Firestone!" He realised. "It's part of the Vespiform's mind. It's dying and it's connected to Agatha!"

Ember knelt by the edge of the water and clasped her hands. "Please, you can do it. Please..."

Then, Agatha seemed to glow purple for a few moments before it faded and she slumped, unconscious.

The Doctor looked from her to the lake and then at Donna before he spoke. "He let her go. Right at the end, the Vespiform chose to save someone's life."

Donna frowned. "Is she all right, though?"

"Yea." Ember said as she stood. "But there's a price."

"Of course. The amnesia!" The Doctor said. "Wiped her mind of everything that happened. The wasp, the murders..."

"And us." Donna added, not looking upset. "She'll forget about us."

"Yeah, but we've solved another riddle. The mystery of Agatha Christie. And tomorrow morning, her car gets found by the side of a lake. A few days later, she turns up in hotel at Harrogate with no idea of what just happened."

The Doctor carefully lifted Agatha up, carrying her back to their car, followed by Donna. Ember paused to look back one last time at the lake - the grave of the Vespiform - before she turned to follow.

* * *

The Doctor, Donna and Ember watched as Agatha slowly walked towards a hotel. They'd gotten back to the manor and back to the Tardis without anyone seeing them, and had taken Agatha to Harrogate, just as history told.

"No one'll ever know." The Doctor said.

"Lady Eddison, the Colonel, and all the staff." Donna asked, listing the other people who'd been there. "What about them?"

"Shameful story. They'd never talk of it. Too British."

"And do you think anyone would believe them if they talked about giant wasps and a man who can spit up poison?" Ember added, an eyebrow raised. "They'd be laughed into obscurity."

The Doctor nodded. "While the Unicorn does a bunk back to London town. She can never even say she was there."

Ember paused. "And Roger? He was supposed to die."

"Oh, he goes on to become Lord, etc. But despite numerous inquiries he never tells the whole story about this mysterious scar on his shoulder." The Doctor waggled his eyebrows at Ember. "Only says he was attacked one night and was saved by a fiery brunette with silver eyes."

Ember looked away, a light blush across her cheeks as she muttered. "My eyes aren't silver." She paused, looking thoughtful. "That's the first person I was able to save from dying like they did in the show..."

The Doctor grinned. "And here's a spoiler for you. That's not the last one."

Ember looked at him again, surprised, but he just winked.

"What happens to Agatha?" Donna asked.

"Oh, great life." The Doctor replied. "Met another man, married again. Saw the world. Wrote and wrote and wrote."

"She never thought her books were any good, though. And she must have spent all those years wondering."

The Doctor pursed his lips as he opened the door to the Tardis, holding it open for the two ladies. "The thing is... I don't think she ever quite forgot. Great mind like that, some of the details kept bleeding through. All the stuff her imagination could use. Like, Miss Marple."

Donna sighed. "I should have made her sign a contract."

"And, where is it, where is it, hold on." The Doctor ran over to one of the gratings surrounding the main console and pulled it up, then reached under it to pull out an old wooden chest. "Here we go. C. That is C for Cybermen, C for Carrionites..."

Ember paused as he placed a large glass sphere on the floor. Inside it, enshrouded in green smoke, three women in black robes could be seen scratching at it and screaming. As she leaned closer to get a better look, she was surprised when the women stopped screaming and seemingly backed away in fear, as though they were terrified of her.

"...and Christie, Agatha. Look at that." Ember was brought out of it by the Doctor as he handed Donna a book: a 1957 paperback edition of _Death in the Clouds_ with a wasp on the cover.

"She did remember!" Donna smiled.

"Somewhere in the back of her mind, it all lingered. And that's not all. Look at the copyright page."

"Facsimile edition, published in the year..." Donna blinked, making sure she read it right. "Five billion!"

"People never stop reading them." The Doctor said. "She is the best selling novelist of all time."

"But she never knew."

"Well, no one knows how they're going to be remembered. All we can do is hope for the best. Maybe that's what kept her writing. Same thing keeps me travelling. Onwards?"

"Onwards."

Ember looked at the glass sphere again, but before she could see what the Carrionites were doing, the Doctor swiftly picked it up and dumped it back into the chest. "Doctor, those were..."

"Spoilers," he cut her off gently. "It's still in your future."

Ember huffed, getting to her feet. "Well, I'm gonna get out of this dress. I've never been one for dresses."

"We know," Donna and the Doctor spoke at the same time, which made Ember smile as she turned and headed for the corridor that led deeper into the Tardis.

Donna waited until the brunette was gone before turning to the Doctor. "She has no scar."

"And no Mark." The Doctor added, his smile falling. "She's still early. Which means all the things we've seen her do haven't happened for her yet."

"What about..."

The Doctor silenced the redhead by shaking his own. "She needs to see it for herself."

Meanwhile, Ember had made it to the Tardis wardrobe (she had a feeling the ship had made the trip shorter on purpose.), and was now getting some more comfortable clothes to wear. She found the tracksuit bottoms and sweater she'd been wearing before and decided to change into them to sleep in, and searched for clothes to put on when she woke up. She found another pair of jeans, this time in black, along with a grey sleeveless top with a nice oriental symbol on the front, and then another blue denim jacket that she was almost sure was the one she'd worn in the first adventure. Grabbing a pair of red trainers, she then made to go change when she paused, looking at herself in the mirror, before moving closer.

She seemed mostly the same as she'd seen before, but there were two things that she noticed immediately. One was her eyes: they looked more grey than blue now, where before it was a fine line between the two colours. She could see now why Roger described them as silver.

The second was her left bicep, where she could see a faint darkening of the skin, as though it was bruising or if ink had been there and washed away with some residue leftover. She turned to look at it herself, but found it was no trick of the mirror. "What the heck...?"

As she turned, a small envelope slid out from the folds of the clothes she'd hooked over her right arm. Ember looked at it for a moment before she picked it up and turned it over to find her name written in elegant handwriting on the front. With a puzzled frown, she carefully opened it and found a wallet and a folded note. She unfolded the latter first, finding the same handwriting as on the envelope, and began to read.

_'Dearest Ember,_

_If I've timed it right, you should be reading this fairly early in your journey. I hope I got the right jacket - it's one of your favourites, after all.'_

Ember blinked, looking at the denim jacket over her arm, before returning to the letter.

_'I know you must have so many questions right now, but it is simply too early for them to be answered yet._

_I think we've only met once so far for you, on Satellite Five. You may remember me as the stranger in a hood._

_Anyway, I'm getting off the subject. You'll find a wallet with this letter, and inside that you'll find a couple of things that will help you in future. I know this because you told me, right before you asked me to write this for you. Timelines are funny, aren't they?_

_I also need to give you a little bit more of a warning. If I have timed it right, you should have just met Agatha Christie. I wish I could have been there as well. I love her books._

_Sorry, getting off subject again. Here is the warning: it should be very soon that you will find another piece of the puzzle. You are aware that you are half Time Lord, but this will come from the other half._

_You will be confused and afraid, but you will not be alone. I will be there to guide you when I can, and the Doctor will always be there._

_Good luck, my friend.'_

There was no signature at the bottom of the letter, but Ember already had a feeling there wouldn't be one. She frowned for a moment before before she turned her attention to the wallet that had come with the letter. Flipping it open, she found what looked like a blank bit of paper on one side that gave off a slight shimmer, and she realised it was psychic paper. On the other side were several slots where one could put credit cards, and then the main bit had paper money of various currencies, some of which she recognised, as well as a few plastic sticks that looked similar to the one she'd seen on Satellite Five.

"Why would I need all of this?" She pondered, but then shook her head. If this was going to go like it normally did in the show, she wouldn't find out until she needed it.

* * *

Here we are! Hope you enjoyed it!

The words in italics spoken by the various characters are titles of or quotes from Agatha's books, I think. Haven't read them myself.

Next Time: Ember goes to London. A two-parter episode!


	5. Chapter Five: Aliens in London

Here we go! To make up for a late update, I have a two-parter for you, with part two soon following. Enjoy!

* * *

After spending the night and most of the next day with Donna and Ten, most of which she'd lounged in her tracksuit bottoms and sweater, Ember jumped again. She was thankful that she'd changed into the clothes she'd picked out earlier before she did.

As she regained her senses from the jump, Ember huffed as she rubbed her chest. The burning was lingering again, as though she was getting heartburn. She hoped this wasn't going to happen every time now.

After taking a few moments to get her breath back and for the heartburn to fade, she looked around. It looked like she was on the roof of a tall block of flats, in a normal London street, on some kind of estate. As she looked over the edge, she smiled upon seeing the Tardis in all its glory right in the middle of the estate.

Ember then frowned, trying to remember which episode this was, but there were several times the Tardis was parked in an estate, and she was too high up for her to see any details on the exterior to pinpoint where she was.

As though to answer her silent pondering, the door to the roof opened behind her. She whipped round in surprise, only to let out a breath of relief when she saw it was the Ninth Doctor. "You scared me half to death."

"What?" The Doctor looked at her, to her surprise, with slight suspicion. "Ember?"

"Well, yes, last time I checked." Ember sassed a bit, but then paused when she realised he was serious. "Wait, you know who I am but you didn't recognise me? Do I regenerate?"

"Not from my point of view so far," the Doctor leaned close to her face. "Though the Ember I've come to know had a scar..."

Ember rolled her eyes. "What is it with that scar?! I don't know about it, what's so important about it?!"

"Prove you're Ember." The Doctor's request made her pause in her rant. "You've proved it to me before. Do it now."

"But I haven't done that yet!" Ember said to him. "This is the earliest I've seen you so far, so how do I prove it to you that I'm me?"

The Doctor pursed his lips. "You proved you were a Time Lord."

Ember paused again, looking thoughtful. Something Eleven had said came back to her.

_"Until your second heart kicks in, you'll have to do this to show me you're you."_

"Ok, I haven't got that second heart yet." She shook her head at his confused look. "Apparently I've been pretending to be human so I've only got one heart at the moment. But I have another way to show you it's me." She hesitated. "But um, I'll need you to help. It's a mind thing."

"A mind... thing? You want me to look into your mind?" The Doctor asked, frowning. "Don't you have knowledge of things I shouldn't know?"

Ember shook her head again. "I don't want you to look into my mind, and believe me, you don't want to either. You explained to me that it's something we Time Lords can do..."

The Doctor nodded in realisation. "I think I know what you mean. Come here."

He reached up, placing his fingers on her temples, and closed his eyes. Ember closed hers too, trying to remember what it felt like when the Doctor showed her before. After a few moments of nothing from her side, she was about to give up when the Doctor pulled away from her and smiled.

"You've never done that before, have you?" He asked.

"No. You showed me when I first started this whole jumping thing." Ember sighed. "So did it work?"

The Doctor nodded again. "Yep, and it's you. Congrats."

Ember raised a brow as he turned to look out at the city, but let it go as she moved to join him. "Ok, so I'm guessing we're with Rose? And considering you're up here, I'm guessing you brought her back a year later than you planned?"

The Doctor gave her a flat look. "You could have warned me, you know."

"I don't know if I tried yet." Ember replied, then blinked. "Wait, has Jackie slapped you yet?"

"Yes." The Doctor rubbed his cheek. "For a human, she has quite the slap."

"She's not the only one," Ember smiled at him, giving the Doctor the impression that it wouldn't be the last time he'll get slapped. "So... Where's Rose?"

"In the flat with her mother. Thought I'd get some air." The Doctor shrugged. "I don't like domestics."

Ember glanced at him, but didn't reply. Even though she hadn't seen the show before the Time War ended, she'd done some research after starting to watch the 'New Who'. She knew he'd had family, even a granddaughter, before it was all taken away. It was never clear on how or when they'd been lost, but she could only imagine what it felt like.

The two stood in a comfortable silence for a short while before the door opened again and Rose stepped out, looking around. She grinned when she saw the pair.

"Hey, Ember!" She called as she moved to sit on a ledge just above them. "I take it the Doctor's told you what happened?"

Ember shrugged. "Didn't really have to. I'm sorry about your mom."

Rose waved her off. "It's not your fault. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was something different, but... I can't tell her. I can't even begin. She's never going to forgive me. And I missed a year." She glanced at the Doctor. "Was it good?"

The Doctor pulled a face. "Middling."

"You're so useless."

"Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?"

Rose hesitated. "I don't know. I can't do that to her again, though."

"Well, she's not coming with us."

"No chance."

"I don't do families."

Rose suddenly grinned. "She slapped you!"

"Nine hundred years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother."

"Your face."

"It hurt!" The Doctor defended, rubbing his cheek again.

"You're so gay!"

Ember frowned. "I don't get why people say that. Feeling pain means you're gay? Doesn't make sense."

The trio were quiet for a few moments before Rose spoke up again. "When you say nine hundred years...?"

The Doctor looked at her. "That's my age."

"You're nine hundred years old."

"Yeah."

"My mum was right. That is one hell of an age gap." She looked at Ember next. "What about you? How old are you?"

"I'm..." Ember trailed off, a puzzled frown crossing her face. She'd been in her late twenties before she'd started jumping, but something told her she was way off that mark. "You know what? I don't really know. I'll have to get back to you on that."

Rose shook her head, hopping off the ledge and wondering a few steps. "Every conversation with you two just goes mental. There's no one else I can talk to. I've seen all that stuff up there, the size of it, and I can't say a word. Aliens and spaceships and things, and I'm the only person on planet Earth who knows they exist."

All of a sudden there was a deep horn and a spaceship, trailing black smoke, passed overhead them, making them duck as it headed for the city. It missed Tower Bridge, weaved around St Paul's, and then with a nasty back-fire and a splutter, dived for the Thames, taking out the Clock Tower. Big Ben chimed once as the spaceship crashed into the river.

The Doctor, Ember and Rose watched a plume of black smoke rise into the air on the horizon. The blonde huffed. "Oh, that's just not fair."

The Doctor burst into laughter and took off, Rose fast on his heels as Ember followed, but by the time they reached the roads there was heavy traffic, huge crowds and soldiers blocking the way.

"It's blocked off." The Doctor stated, though it wasn't necessary.

Rose looked around. "We're miles from the centre. The city must be grid locked. The whole of London must be closing down."

"I know. I can't believe I'm here to see this. This is fantastic!"

Rose turned her gaze to the two beside her. "Did you know this was going to happen?"

"Nope."

"Yep." Ember put in, knowing where this was going.

"Do you recognise the ship?"

"Nope."

"Yep."

"Do you know why it crashed?"

"Nope."

"Yep."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm so glad I've got you."

The Doctor didn't notice her sarcasm. "I bet you are. This is what I travel for, Rose. To see history happening right in front of us."

"Well, let's go and see it. Never mind the traffic, we've got the Tardis."

"Not a good idea," Ember cut in, though it was distracted as she was beginning to feel overwhelmed in the sea of people and chaos.

"Better not." The Doctor agreed. "They've already got one spaceship in the middle of London. I don't want to shove another one on top."

"Yeah, but yours looks like a big blue box." Rose pointed out. "No one's going to notice."

"You'd be surprised. Emergency like this, there'll be all kinds of people watching. Trust me. The Tardis stays where it is."

Ember felt her breath pick up again, and moved without thinking to grab the Doctor by the arm. "Can we go back now?"

Her shaky voice drew the attention of the Doctor and Rose, who put her hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

The Doctor quickly took note of her shaking, her eyes darting around like she was expecting something to jump out of nowhere and attack her, her heartbeat racing so hard and fast that he could feel it through the grip she had on his arm. "Ember, you're having a panic attack. Come on, look at me."

Ember struggled, but soon looked up at him, and he could tell she was right on the cusp. "Doctor..."

She felt her knees go weak, but before she could fall, the Doctor swiftly scooped her up to hold her bridle style. "Rose, clear a path."

The blonde jumped into action, pushing people aside and clearing a way back towards the estate, worried for the brunette.

The Doctor kept looking between Ember and the crowd around them, making sure he was going the right way and following Rose. He glanced back down in puzzlement when he heard a beeping sound coming from her watch. "What's that?"

"M-my medication," Ember stammered. Even though they were still surrounded by people, she felt safe in the man's arms, and as a result was starting to calm down. "Keeps track for me so I don't miss it."

The Doctor nodded as he kept walking, and it wasn't long before they were back on the estate. By then Ember had calmed enough, but the Doctor refused to put her down until they reached the Tyler's flat, and even then he put her in an armchair and made her stay there.

As the man moved to the kitchen to get water, Rose knelt by the armchair. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'll be ok." Ember swallowed hard. "I... have very bad anxiety. I really don't like crowds. Or being trapped. Sets off a panic attack."

Neither woman knew that the Doctor had overheard, frowning as he fished through the fridge for a bottle of water. He moved back into the living room and handed the bottle to Ember as her watch beeped again. "And your medication?"

Ember looked away, rummaging in her pocket before she found the little bottle, and handed it to him. "You gave these to me. Said I take one a day."

The Doctor looked at the label, his eyes widening slightly as he looked at her again. "These are pretty strong. Is it that bad?"

"It's a fine line." Ember replied, spotting a tv remote on the arm of the chair and grabbing it. "Since we're here and we can't get to the crash, we should do the next best thing."

She pressed a button, turning on the tv. Instantly it showed a news coverage of the crash. Rose looked like she wanted to say something, but the Doctor caught her eye and subtly shook his head.

The three of them settled to watch, waiting for information, when Jackie started inviting people over to celebrate Rose's return. It wasn't long before the flat was getting full, and Rose had accidentally let slip what had happened to Ember, so the brunette had to contend with lots of people hugging her or petting her shoulder or asking if she was alright (as well as questions about Rose's disappearance and if the Doctor kidnapped her too), until she finally had enough, got out of the armchair and outside the flat, where she leaned on the railings to cool down.

She didn't have to wait long, as twenty minutes later, the Doctor came out of the flat. "Are you alright?"

"Yea," Ember said, though it was obviously a lie. "It just got a bit too much in there."

"I know the feeling," the Doctor agreed just as the front door of the flat opened again and Rose stepped out.

"And where do you think you're going?" She asked.

"Nowhere. It's just a bit human in there for me." The Doctor told her smoothly. "History just happened and they're talking about where you can buy dodgy top-up cards for half price. I'm off on a wander, that's all."

Rose gave him a look. "Right. There's a spaceship on the Thames and you're just wandering."

The Doctor shook his head. "Nothing to do with me. It's not an invasion. That was a genuine crash landing. Angle of descent, colour of smoke, everything. It's perfect."

"So?"

"So maybe this is it. First contact. The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race. I'm not interfering because you've got to handle this on your own. That's when the human race finally grows up. Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay. Now you can expand. You don't need me. Go and celebrate history. Spend some time with your mum."

"Promise you won't disappear?"

"I can promise he'll come back." Ember said, giving her a smile. "And I'll make sure to drag him back kicking and screaming to the right time too if I have to."

The Doctor rolled his eyes good naturedly before he patted himself down and produced a small key. "Tell you what. Tardis key. It's about time you had one." He handed it to Rose and then took Ember by the hand. "See you later."

The two walked off, leaving the blonde to smile after them before she went back inside.

"Drag me back kicking and screaming?" The Doctor said, looking at Ember.

"Had to reassure her." Ember replied. "And anyway, I know you're not travelling in time. You're just gonna go to hospital to take a look at the alien body."

The two of them made their way back to the Tardis, and Ember was able to look up just before they got inside, spotting Mickey on one of the balconies. She gave a wave before she stepped into the Tardis.

The Doctor piloted the Tardis to the hospital, where they ended up in a storage room. The man rolled his eyes at Ember's unimpressed look and stepped out into the room, and attempted to unlock the door with his sonic, though he jumped slightly as the instrument buzzed. "Shush!"

"Yes, shush, you inanimate tool," Ember whispered, trying to distract herself from the confinement of the small room. The Doctor gave her a look as he finally unlocked the door.

Only to step into a room full of Red Berets - the Parachute Regiment. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, then the soldiers leapt into action, grabbing their weapons and pointing them at the Doctor, who simply smiled at them. Ember peered around him and shuddered, waiting for the scream...

Which echoed from outside a few seconds later, and the Doctor immediately took charge. "Defence plan delta! Come on! Move! Move!"

He led Ember and the team of soldiers out the room and down a long corridor that led to the mortuary, where they found a female doctor cowering by her desk, a small cut on her head as she shook. Ember recognised her as Toshiko.

"It's alive!" She whispered as they approached.

The Doctor turned to the soldiers behind them. "Spread out. Tell the perimeter it's a lockdown. Do it!"

"I swear it was dead." Toshiko murmured as the Doctor knelt in front of her to check her head wound.

"Coma, shock, hibernation, anything." He offered. "What does it look like?"

Metal clanked from somewhere in the room, and all eyes turned to look.

"It's still here." The Doctor gestured to a soldier outside the door to come in and kneel by Toshiko before he slowly searched the room. It didn't take him long to find what looked like a pig in a spacesuit hiding behind a table, and he tried to give a reassuring smile. "Hello."

The pig bolted, running on its hind legs toward the door, only for Ember to close it before it could get out. The Doctor saw the solder raise his gun and cried "Don't shoot!"

But it was too late. One shot and the pig fell with a squeal. Ember flinched as she felt a splatter of blood land on her jeans.

"What did you do that for? It was scared!" The Doctor yelled at the solder before he knelt by the dying pig. "It was scared."

Ember felt tears prick her eyes as she watched the pig finally breathe it's last. "I... they were going to shoot it in the corridor... I thought if it stayed in here..."

The Doctor got up and moved to stand in front of the brunette, blocking her view of the pig. "You tried. That's all that counts."

After taking a few moments to compose herself, Ember helped the Doctor lift the pig onto an autopsy table. Toshiko had by then recovered as well, and the solder had left. The three remaining now looked at the pig.

"I just assumed that's what aliens look like," Toshiko said, "but you're saying it's an ordinary pig from Earth."

"More like a mermaid." The Doctor pointed out. "Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat, gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid. Now someone's taken a pig, opened up it's brain, stuck bits on, then they've strapped it in that ship and made it dive bomb. It must've been terrified. They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke."

"So it's a fake, a pretend, like the mermaid." Toshiko examined the metal bits again. "But the technology augmenting its brain, it's like nothing on Earth. It's alien. Aliens are faking aliens. But why would they do that?" There was no answer. "Doctor?"

The two that had been standing with her were now gone.

* * *

"I know you're probably blaming yourself, but don't." The Doctor said to Ember as he piloted the Tardis. "If it was supposed to die, nothing you could have done would have prevented it. Chances are that pig wouldn't have lived for very long with what was done to it."

Ember sighed. She was sat on the pilot seat, staring at her shoes. "Yea, you said something like that. Time changing to make something happen even if I try to stop it." She looked up at him. "But how am I supposed to know?"

The Doctor shrugged. "You don't. Same as me. You just try and hope for the best."

"Mnm," Ember sighed before she decided to let it go. "So we're going back to Rose? I have to warn you, she isn't going to be happy."

"Is that a warning or a spoiler?"

"Both."

The Tardis landed, and a moment later Rose burst through the doors. The Doctor took one look and knew that Ember was right.

"All right, so I lied. I went and had a look." He said before the blonde could say anything. "But the whole crash landing's a fake. I thought so. Just too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben. Come on, so I thought let's go and have a look..."

Rose cut him off by saying "My mum's here."

The Doctor glanced behind him to find that Jackie was indeed there, looking around in shock and little bit of fear. "Oh, that's just what I need. Don't you dare make this place domestic."

At that moment, Mickey stormed in. "You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought she was dead. I was a murder suspect because of you."

"You see what I mean? Domestic."

"I bet you don't even remember my name."

"Ricky."

"It's Mickey."

"No, it's Ricky."

"I think I know my own name."

"You think you know your own name?" The Doctor glanced at Ember to find her trying not to smile. "How stupid are you?"

"Mum, don't!" Rose called as Jackie hightailed it out of the door. She began to go after her as she called back "Don't go anywhere. Don't start a fight!"

The doors shut behind her, and for several moments there was an awkward silence. Ember wasn't sure how to break it, and the two men certainly didn't seem interested in talking to each other.

"Um..." Ember finally spoke, gaining their attention. "For what it's worth, um... we didn't mean to bring Rose back a year later. It was an accident."

Mickey looked at the Doctor for confirmation, which he got when the Time Lord didn't deny it. He was about to ask more when Rose came back without her mother.

"That was a real spaceship." She clarified.

The Doctor was eager to change the subject from his driving to something else. "Yep."

"So it's all a pack of lies? What is it, then? Are they invading?"

Mickey scoffed. "Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert."

"Good point!" The Doctor admitted, looking at the monitor showing the River Thames. "So, what're they up to?"

"I could tell you," Ember offered. "Or maybe a hint? They're drawing attention away from something else."

No one spoke for a while. The Doctor was working away at something under a grate, while Rose and Mickey waited. Ember had busied herself with counting the money she'd been given in the wallet, impressed that there were several currencies she didn't know, but it also hinted that she would find out at some point.

Mickey finally got bored enough to approach the Doctor. "So, what're you doing down there?"

The Doctor barely glanced up at him. "Ricky..."

"Mickey."

"Ricky. If I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?"

"...I suppose not."

"Well, shut it, then."

Mickey huffed and walked away to talk to Rose. Ember hesitated before she moved to kneel beside the Doctor.

"You shouldn't count him out so quickly." She said softly.

"Why's that then?"

Ember shrugged. "He can help. And he will, more times than you'll expect. He's quite tech savvy."

The Doctor looked at her for a moment. "Is that another hint?"

"I guess so. But I mean it." Ember looked at her shoes again. "If it wasn't for my world having that show, I'd be even more useless than I already am."

"Who said you're useless?" The Doctor asked as he got back to work. He surprised the brunette by handing her some wires. "Hold this, please."

Ember wondered why he was letting her help, even if it was just holding some wires. "I've seen all of this on tv. I know what happens here, in the next adventure, the next one and so on. I know who dies and how, but... I can't seem to stop it. It's different, watching it and then living it. People always boast, going 'oh, if I was there I'd do this', but here I am, with all this so called foreknowledge, and so far I've only saved one person out of about eight, nine if you count the pig. That's not a good record so far."

"There's the point. So far. But you're trying, and sometimes it doesn't work, but the fact that you try is better than anything." The Doctor grinned as the wires sparked. "Got it! Ha, ha!"

He jumped up, helping Ember up as well, as he grabbed the monitor. "Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours so we can follow the flight of that spaceship. Here we go. Hold on. Come on." He tapped the monitor and the screen lit up. "That's the spaceship on its way to Earth, see? Except... Hold on... See? The spaceship did a sling shot round the Earth before it landed."

Rose looked puzzled. "What does that mean?"

"It means it came from Earth in the first place. It went up and came back down. Whoever those aliens are, they haven't just arrived, they've been here for a while. The question is, what have they been doing?"

* * *

"How many channels do you get?" Mickey asked as the Doctor and Rose flicked through the channels on the monitor.

"All the basic packages."

"You get sports channels?"

"Yes, I get the football." He grinned in triumph when he saw Ember crack a smile, but then he spotted something. "Hold on, I know that lot."

There was a woman talking on a news channel, which showed several people gathering at Downing Street. "It is looking likely that the Government's bringing in alien specialists - those people who have devoted their lives to studying outer space."

"UNIT." The Doctor explained. "United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. Good people."

Rose looked at him in puzzlement. "How do you know them?"

"'Cos he's worked for them." Mickey cut in. He shrugged as Rose and the Doctor looked at him in surprise. "Oh yeah, don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you. You look deep enough on the Internet or in the history books, and there's his name, followed by a list of the dead."

The Doctor focused on the screen again. "That's nice. Good boy, Ricky."

"If you know them, why don't you go and help?" Rose asked.

"They wouldn't recognise me. I've changed a lot since the old days. Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There's aliens out there and fake aliens. We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover. And er, I'd better keep the Tardis out of sight. Ricky, you've got a car. You can do some driving."

Mickey rolled his eyes. "Where to?"

"The roads are clearing. Let's go and have a look at that spaceship."

They followed him down the ramp and out the door, only to stop as a light shone from a helicopter above, and police officers appeared.

"Do not move!" An officer called from a megaphone. "Step away from the box and raise your hands above your heads."

"Who called them then?" The Doctor asked, looking at Ember.

"Who took one look at the inside and freaked?" Ember countered as police cars and armoured personnel carriers began to surround them. Mickey bolted, but Rose and the Doctor were surprised when Ember added "Let him go. Trust me, we're gonna need him on the outside."

The could just see Jackie being held back by police as the officer with the megaphone spoke again. "Raise your hands above your head. You are under arrest."

The Doctor obeyed, followed by Rose and Ember, though the two young women rolled their eyes at him when he called "Take me to your leader."

Officers approached and led them to a car, which surprised two of them, and when they got in the vehicle took off.

"This is a bit posh." Rose commented, sitting next to the Doctor while Ember sat by the window where Rose would have originally sat in the show. "If I knew it was going to be like this, being arrested, I would have done it years ago."

"We're not being arrested," the Doctor corrected, "we're being escorted."

"Where to?"

"Where'd you think? Downing Street."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not."

"10 Downing Street?"

"That's the one."

Rose grinned. "Oh, my God. I'm going to 10 Downing Street? How come?"

The Doctor sighed. "I hate to say it, but Mickey was right. Over the years I've visited this planet a lot of times, and I've been, er, noticed."

"Now they need you?"

"Like it said on the news. They're gathering experts in alien knowledge. And who's the biggest expert of the lot?"

"Patrick Moore?" Rose joked.

"Apart from him."

"Oh, don't you just love it."

"I'm telling you. Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table. Who's the Prime Minister now?"

"How should I know? I missed a year." Rose looked at Ember. "Do you know?"

"Doesn't matter," Ember muttered. "I'm sorry, but you won't be meeting him."

The two looked at her in surprise and concern, and then the Doctor reached out to put his hand on hers where it was shaking. Ember glanced at him and then gave a right smile.

"You will meet a future one, though."

The car stopped, and then an officer opened the door for them. Cameras began flashing all around and the Doctor gave grins at them while Ember ducked her head.

"Oh, my God." Rose breathed.

They quickly made their way inside, mingling with other experts, until a man in a suit stepped up. Ember remembered his name was Ganesh. "Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right, and can I remind you ID cards are to be worn at all times." He handed the Doctor an ID card. "Here's your ID card. I'm sorry, your companions don't have clearance."

"I don't go anywhere without them," the Doctor said.

"You're the code nine, not them. I'm sorry, Doctor. It is the Doctor, isn't it? They'll have to stay outside."

"They're staying with me."

Ganesh sighed. "Look, even I don't have clearance to go in there. I can't let them in and that's a fact."

"It's all right." Rose said before the Doctor could argue further. "You go."

Ember suddenly had a thought, quickly grabbing her wallet and opening it. "Oh, wait, I have clearance, right here."

She waved the wallet, showing the psychic paper and hoping it would work. Ganesh looked at it before his eyes widened.

"Code 10?" He asked. "I haven't heard of that."

"Well, um, it's only for really big emergencies," Ember waved him off. "And I work with the Code Nine, so I'm kind of a backup."

Ganesh looked at the paper again and sighed. "Ok, but keep that ready. We didn't expect your arrival so you don't have a card."

"Excuse me." An older woman cut in, looking at the Doctor. Ember recognised her as Harriet Jones. "Are you the Doctor?"

"Sure?" The Doctor was checking with Rose, who nodded.

"Not now. We're busy." Ganesh seemed exasperated with the woman. "Can't you go home?"

"I just need a word in private."

The Doctor wasn't listening, focused on Rose. "I suppose so. Don't get in any trouble."

He moved to go into the room with Ember, though the brunette was able to quickly tell Rose to be careful before they left.

The Doctor gently held Ember by the arm, not only to keep them from being separated but also to help the brunette from having another panic attack. "You told Rose to be careful. Is she in trouble?"

"She will be, but she'll be fine." Ember replied quietly as they got ready to be briefed. "She'll help the other woman too."

"So why did you come with me?"

Ember shrugged. "More people in trouble here. And I'd be careful with that ID if I were you."

The Doctor looked puzzled, but kept the ID card in his hand as he led Ember to a seat at the back of the room, grabbing a small file that was on it and skimming through it quickly to get details.

Before Ember could add anything else, a large man at the front of the room stood and addressed the room. Ember barely remembered that he used to be a man called Asquith before the alien inside got to him. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please. As you can see from the summaries in front of you, the ship had one porcine occupant..."

The Doctor quickly cut in, drawing the attention of the room. "Of course, the really interesting bit happened three days ago, see, filed away under Any Other Business. The North Sea. A satellite detected a signal, a little blip of radiation, at one hundred fathoms, like there's something down there. You were just about to investigate and the next thing you know, this happens. Spaceships, pigs, massive diversion. From what?"

The room filled with murmurs as Ember watched the two large men at the front shift awkwardly.

"If aliens fake an alien crash and an alien pilot, what do they get?" The Doctor paused, realisation dawning on his face. "Us. They get us. It's not a diversion, it's a trap. This is all about us. Alien experts. The only people with knowledge how to fight them gathered together in one room."

The other large man, who used to be Green, let out a loud fart. Ember was glad she was on the other side of the room as the Doctor turned to look at the culprit with an expression that said 'are you kidding me?'

"Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?" He asked flatly.

Green gave a smirk. "Would you rather silent but deadly?"

General Asquith removed his cap, surprising everyone with the zip across his forehead, and began to unzip. Green began to laugh as the room filled with blue light and an alien started to wriggle out of the skin suit that was once the General. By the end of it, A large alien stood, nearly eight feet tall with incongruous large black eyes in a small baby face.

"We are the Slitheen." Asquith said, his voice distorted now.

"Thank you all for wearing your ID cards." Green said, holding up a remote. "They'll help to identify the bodies."

The ID tags began to emit charges of electricity, shocking all the wearers, including the Doctor despite it being only in his hand.

Ember narrowed her eyes.

* * *

Well, there we have it!

Quick note; When Ember was talking about who she saved out of how many, I figured there was eight victims and she only saved one. Here's how I figured:

Power of Three: it wasn't clear if anyone stayed dead from the cubes, so I couldn't count here.

The Long Game: Suki had died despite Ember's attempt to warn her.

The Cold War: Stepashin, and at least two other people died at the hands of Skaldak. I'm stretching it to a fourth person being killed as well. That makes 5 people dead so far.

The Unicorn and The Wasp: Professor Peach and Miss Chandralaka died, but Roger lived.

So if I have it right, that means that out of eight people, Ember has only been able to save one. And the Doctor has let it slip that it won't be the last one she saves. You're welcome to give guesses on who you think she'll save.

Hope to hear from you soon! Stay tuned!

Next Time: Ember delivers some cold, hard truths


	6. Chapter Six: World War Three

Ok, now for part 2!

Reply to reviewer Bored411: It might not be the Slitheen getting a telling off.

Enjoy!

* * *

"Not human, not deadly. Doctor!" Ember cried. "The card! Use it on the collar!"

The Doctor just about heard her, jumping forward and jamming the card against the metal collar around the humongous alien's neck. Immediately the alien shrieked as its body crackled with electricity, with Green doing the same. The Doctor used the distraction to grab Ember by the arm and pull her out of the room.

"Oi!" He yelled to armed guards as soon as they were in sight. "If you want aliens, you've got them. They're inside Downing Street. Come on!" He turned to lead them back toward the briefing room.

"It isn't going to work," Ember tried to warn him as they ran, but before she could add more, they were already bursting through the door and into the briefing room.

Only to see that the alien had squeezed back into the skin suit that used to be Asquith, among the bodies littering the room.

"Where have you been?" Green said, taking up the act. "I called for help. I sounded the alarm. There was this lightening, this kind of, er, electricity, and they all collapsed."

The police moved to check a body. "I think most of them are dead, but some of them are alive."

Ember let out a breath. Looks like she'd made a good call.

"That's what I'm saying. He did it!" Green suddenly pointed at the Doctor. "That man there, and the girl too!"

"I think you will find the Prime Minister is an alien in disguise." The Doctor said calmly, only to blink as he noticed the police looking offended. "That's never going to work, is it?"

"No."

"Fair enough."

The Doctor took off, dragging Ember with him, only to get trapped between two lots of armed police in the corridor.

Asquith stepped forward, having caught up with the first team. "Under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Protocols, I authorise you to execute this man and woman."

"Well, now, yes, you see, er, the thing is," the Doctor looked flustered for a moment before he calmed. "If I was you, if I was going to execute someone by backing them against the wall, between you and me, little word of advice." There was a ding as the elevator door opened behind him. "Don't stand them against the lift!"

He stepped back, pulling Ember with him, and quickly pointed his Sonic at the controls, making the door close on the surprised faces of the police. As the elevator began to take them up, the Doctor looked at Ember.

"You alright?" He asked.

Ember nodded. "Wish I could have saved more of them. I think I threw off the timing."

The Doctor took her hand and offered a smile. "You did great."

The elevator dinged again and the doors opened, and the Doctor blinked as he found himself looking at another one of the huge aliens. "Hello!"

Just in his and Ember's sight, they could see Rose and Harriet sneak past the distracted alien, before the Doctor soniced the elevator doors until they closed again, this time taking them up to the second floor.

"Right, better take the stairs," the Doctor said, taking the lead. It was barely after they'd found the stairs and gone down a floor that the Doctor suddenly pulled Ember into a hiding spot behind a door as they heard the elevator ding and the door open, revealing two undisguised aliens that walked along the corridor.

"It does us good to hunt." The first one said, sounding like Green. "Purifies the blood."

The other one sounded like Asquith when he spoke. "We'll keep this floor quarantined as our last hunting ground before the final phase."

The two Time Lords waited for another minute before slowly coming out of their hiding place and running down the corridor. The Doctor led the way again, and it wasn't long before they passed a room to find three aliens just as Harriet leapt out of her hiding place.

"No! Take me first!" She yelled. "Take me!"

Ember quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher that was hanging on the wall and passed it to the Doctor, who swiftly burst into the room and stayed the nearest alien with CO2. "Out, with me!"

Rose used the distraction to yank on the curtain near her, making it fall down over the alien next to her as she ran.

"Who the hell are you?" The Doctor asked the older woman.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

The Doctor dropped the fire extinguisher as they ran. "We need to head to the Cabinet Room."

"The Emergency Protocols are in there." Harriet called. "They give instructions for aliens."

"Harriet Jones, I like you."

"And I like you too."

"Less talking, more running!" Ember shouted as the tell-tale sounds of stomping and crashing behind them told them that the Slitheen were on their tail.

In no time they reached the Cabinet Room, where the Doctor quickly grabbed a decanter from a side table and stood in the doorway, holding his sonic to the glass.

"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol." He called to the approaching Slitheen. "Whoof, we all go up. So back off!" The three aliens took a step back, clearly not knowing that it was an empty threat, and then he continued. "Right then. Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

"They're aliens." Harriet said helpfully.

"Yes. I got that, thanks."

The alien that sounded like Green spoke. "Who are you, if not human?"

Harriet blinked. "Who's not human?"

"They're not human." Rose quickly said.

"They're not human?"

"Can I have a bit of hush?" The Doctor cut in.

"Sorry."

"So, what's the plan?"

Harriet apparently couldn't help herself, whispering to Rose. "But he's got a Northern accent."

Rose gave her a look that was similar to the one the Doctor gave her when she said the same thing. "Lots of planets have a north."

"I said hush." The Doctor cut in again, before addressing the Slitheen. "Come on. You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?"

The one that sounded like Asquith blinked in puzzlement. "Why would we invade this God-forsaken rock?"

"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here. What is it?"

"The Slitheen race?" Green repeated. "Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname. Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day-Slitheen at your service."

"So, you're family."

"A family business."

"Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a God-forsaken rock?"

Asquith interjected. "Ah, excuse me? Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?"

"Is that what I said?"

"You're making it up!"

"Ah, well! Nice try." He moved to hand the bottle to Harriet, who stood to his right. "Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it."

Harriet gave him a look. "You pass it to the left first."

The Doctor did so. "Sorry."

"Thanks." Rose said as she took the bottle.

Asquith flexed his claws. "Now we can end this hunt with a slaughter."

That made Rose pause. "Don't you think we should run?"

Instead of answering her, the Doctor spoke to the Slitheen. "Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain." He moved his hand to lift a small panel by the door and pressed a button. "End of lesson."

Metal shutters suddenly slammed shut across the windows and doors. The Doctor turned to smile at the group. "Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in."

"And how do we get out?" Rose asked.

The Doctor blinked. He hadn't thought of that. "Ah."

* * *

The Doctor dragged Ganesh's body into a small store room, where the late Anthony Blair was also laid out. Rose and Harriet were on the other side of the room, not willing to look, and Ember was sat at the table staring regretfully at the dead.

"I thought I could have stopped Margaret from killing him," she murmured as the Doctor returned. "I was early enough to save some of the experts, I thought maybe..."

The Doctor put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "What was his name?"

Harriet looked over. "Who?"

"This one. The secretary or whatever he was called."

"I don't know. I talked to him. I brought him a cup of coffee. I never asked his name."

Ember looked up. "His name was Ganesh. It's important to know a name. Sometimes it's all we have."

The Doctor gave her a moment to lament before he stood straight and spoke. "Right, what have we got? Any terminals, anything?"

"No. This place is antique." Rose replied, giving up on searching. "What I don't get is, when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?"

"He's too slim. They're big old beasts." The Doctor explained as he started sonicing the walls. "They need to fit inside big humans."

"But the Slitheen are about eight feet. How do they fit inside?"

The Doctor motioned to his neck. "That's the device around their necks. Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange."

Rose sighed. "Wish I had a compression field. I could fit a size smaller."

"Excuse me, people are dead!" Harriet exclaimed. "This is not the time for making jokes."

At that, Rose looked sheepish. "Sorry. You get used to this stuff when you're friends with them."

"Well, that's a strange friendship."

"Harriet Jones." The Doctor murmured in thought. "I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones. You're not famous for anything, are you?"

Harriet scoffed. "Oh, hardly."

"Rings a bell. Harriet Jones?"

Ember smiled at him when he looked at her for a hint. "You'll figure it out."

"Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now." Harriet continued, reaching out to touch the red case in the table. "The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs."

"Not all of them," the Doctor said as he patted Ember on the shoulder. "Thanks to Ember, some of them may just pull through."

Rose looked at the red case. "Hasn't it got, like, defence codes and things? Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at them?"

Harriet gave her a look that said 'you're joking, right?' "You're a very violent young woman."

"I'm serious. We could."

"Well, there's nothing like that in here. Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations."

The Doctor perked up from where he'd been sonicing the fireplace. "Say that again."

"What, about the codes?"

"Anything. All of it."

"Well, the British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a Special Resolution from the UN."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Like that's ever stopped them."

Harriet nodded. "Exactly, given our past record. And I voted against that, thank you very much. The codes have been taken out of the government's hands and given to the UN. Is it important?"

"Everything's important." The Doctor replied.

"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted." Harriet shook her head. "Listen to me. I'm saying Slitheen as if it's normal."

"What do they want, though?" Rose asked.

"It's just the one family, and they don't want to take over the planet," Ember hinted.

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "They don't want Slitheen World. They're out to make money. That means they want to use something. Something here on Earth. Some kind of asset."

"Like what, gold? Oil? Water?" Harriet listed. The Doctor looked at her, mildly impressed.

"You're very good at this."

"Thank you."

"Harriet Jones." The Doctor mused. "Why do I know that name?"

His thoughts were interrupted by a phone beeping, and Rose quickly fished out her phone from her pocket. "Oh, that's me."

Harriet looked at her in confusion. "But we're sealed off. How did you get a signal?"

"He zapped it. Super phone."

"Then we can phone for help." Harriet turned to face the Doctor. "You must have contacts."

"Dead downstairs or in hospital, yeah."

Rose looked up from her phone. "It's Mickey."

"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy."

Ember lightly slapped him on the arm. "First of all, rude. Second, it's important."

"Yeah, he's not so stupid after all." Rose added as she showed them the screen on her phone, which had a picture that Mickey sent her of a Slitheen.

Rose called Mickey and soon heard about the encounter he and Jackie had with the Slitheen. "Is she all right, though? Don't put her on, just tell me."

The Doctor quickly strode over and took the phone from the blonde. "Is that Ricky? Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer." A pause. "Mickey the Idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but, er, I need you." He then moved to plug the phone into the conference speaker in the middle of the table, just catching someone saying something on the other end. "Say again."

"It's asking for the password." Mickey's voice could now be heard on speaker.

"Buffalo. Two Fs, one L."

"So, what's that website?" Jackie asked.

"All the secret information known to mankind." Mickey replied. "See, they've known about aliens for years. They just kept us in the dark."

"Mickey, you were born in the dark." The Doctor deadpanned.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh, leave him alone."

Mickey's smile could almost be heard through the phone. "Thank you. Password again."

"Just repeat it every time."

Ember shook her head, sitting at the table. "Not very secure, are they? You'd think they would at least have different passwords."

The Doctor gave her a smile before he focused on a detail. "Big Ben - why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?"

"You said to gather the experts," Harriet said, "to kill them."

"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon. You don't need to crash land in the middle of London."

Rise tilted her head. "The Slitheen are hiding, but then they put the entire planet on Red alert. What would they do that for?"

"Oh, listen to her." Jackie's voice sassed from the phone.

"At least I'm trying."

"Well, I've got a question, if you don't mind. Since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappear off the face of the Earth."

"I told you what happened..."

"I'm talking to him." Jackie cut her off before she continued. "'Cos I've seen this life of yours, Doctor. And maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe?"

"I'm fine." Rose tried to reassure, but the mother wasn't put off.

"Is she safe? Will she always be safe? Can you promise me that? Well, what's the answer?"

There was a long pause, and Ember frowned in puzzlement. Mickey should have announced that he'd hacked in by now, so what was taking so long? She took one look at the Doctor's face, seeing the hurt that flashed too quick for him to hide it, and bit her lip.

"You can't ask that of anyone," she said before she could chicken out. "The moment someone opens their eyes and steps out of the front door, there is always a chance that something will happen. We like to pretend that we're safe but we're not. Our lives are not infinite, and can end in an instant with no warning."

Rose, Harriet and the Doctor looked at her in surprise, but she ignored them, knowing that if she looked at any of them she'd lose her nerve.

"You're right to worry. Any good mother would want to keep their child at home where they can be that little bit safer." She continued, keeping her eyes fixed on the phone. "But doing that would deprive them of living. They need to see the world, even the darkest pits of hell, in order to appreciate the time and the life they have while they have it. The Doctor can't promise that Rose will always be safe, because that is impossible. What he can promise is that he will do everything in his power to bring her home at the end of the day, and so will I."

There was another pause, and then Jackie spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Who are you?"

"My name is Ember. I'm their friend. I'm not special; I'm just someone who has seen the demons and has accepted that while they are a part of my life, they are not always the ones in control of it."

The atmosphere was so tense it felt like even breathing loudly would shatter it. The Doctor stared at Ember in wonder, silently asking himself what she could have possibly been through to have that mindset, and for a split second he was sure her eyes turned even more silver. It might have been a trick of the light, though, as they were their normal grey when he looked again.

Mickey's voice cut the tension, though it was obvious that he was reluctant to do so. "We're in."

The Doctor gave Ember one last look as she lowered her head to rest on her folded arms on the table, hiding her face, and decided that there would be time later. "Now then, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles. Click on that."

"What is it?" Mickey asked.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, let me work out what it's saying." He paused, listening. "It's some sort of message."

"What's it say?" Rose asked.

"Don't know. It's on a loop, keeps repeating." There was a sound of a doorbell in the background. "Hush!"

"That's not me. Go and see who that is." Mickey said to Jackie, only to huff at her reply and add "Well, go and tell them that."

"It's beaming out into space, who's it for?" The Doctor's brow furrowed as he tried to work it out.

Suddenly there was slam in the background, and they could just hear Jackie's voice. "It's him! It's the thing, it's the Slipeen!"

"They've found us!" Mickey yelped.

"Mickey, I need that signal." The Doctor said.

Rose shook her head "Never mind the signal, get out! Mum, just get out! Get out!"

"We can't. It's by the front door." Mickey replied. "Oh, my God, it's unmasking. It's going to kill us!"

"There's got to be some way of stopping them!" Harriet looked at the Doctor. "You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!"

"I'm trying!"

"I'll take it on, Jackie. You just run. Don't look back." Mickey could barely be heard over the sounds of wood splintering. "Just run!"

"That's my mother." Rose whimpered.

"Right, If we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from." The Doctor said quickly. "Which planet. So, judging by their basic shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within travelling distance. What else do we know about them? Information!"

Ember suddenly lifted her head up, blinking almost like she'd been dozing off. "No time! Mickey, go to the kitchen!"

"What for?"

"How about not dying?!" Ember snapped. "Get in the kitchen, find anything with vinegar."

"Vinegar?" The Doctor asked, puzzled.

"Creature of living calcium, it's body can't handle vinegar because it dissolves calcium."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Wait, that's it! Raxacoricofallapatorius!"

"Oh, yeah, great. We could write 'em a letter," Mickey snarked.

"Are you in the kitchen?" Rose called.

"Yea, but why are we here?"

"Calcium, weakened by the compression field. Acetic acid. Vinegar!" The Doctor grinned at Ember.

"Just like Hannibal!" Harriet said.

"Just like Hannibal. Mickey, have you got any vinegar?"

"How should I know?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor looked perplexed. "It's your kitchen."

"Cupboard by the sink, middle shelf." Rose and Ember said at the same time, making them look at each other and grin.

"Oh, give it here." Jackie's voice came onto the phone. "What do you need?"

"Anything with vinegar!"

"Gherkins. Yeah, pickled onions." Jackie listed them off as she found them. "Pickled eggs."

"And you kiss this man?" The Doctor asked Rose, who rolled her eyes.

There was another crash of wood breaking, then a splash, a muffled fart and then something exploded. Ember lowered her head to rest on her arms again, and the others took it as a sign that the crisis had been averted.

Rose looked at Harriet as she had a thought. "Hannibal?"

The older woman shrugged. "Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar."

"Oh. Well, there you go then."

Ember looked up when she heard something scuff the table, to find a small glass with a shot of alcohol in front of her. She looked further up to find the Doctor holding another glass for himself and giving her a soft smile.

"You alright?" He asked.

Ember straightened and took the glass, tilting it and watching the liquid slosh about. "I'm not the one who's covered in alien guts right now, but yea, I'm fine." She glanced up at him. "Sorry, kinda stole your thunder back there."

The Doctor shrugged, watching Harriet pour a glass of the alcohol from the decanter for herself and Rose. "You helped save them. That's what counts."

"Yea."

They sat in silence for a few moments before the Doctor looked at her again. "What you said earlier, about demons..."

"Probably should have been gentler about it, but it needed to be said." Ember said, pausing to take a sip of the alcohol and wince at the burn. At a guess she'd say it was scotch, but she couldn't remember if she drank back home - not that it mattered. "In a perfect world, everyone gets along and nothing bad happens. But the world isn't perfect, and we only make it worse if we try to deny it."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience."

Ember sighed. "I learned early on that the world isn't kind. There are some people that are genuine, but sometimes a hand that helps you up can just as quickly become the fist that knocks you down, as well as the other way around."

The Doctor wasn't sure what to say about that. How could he, when he knew first hand how it felt?

"Listen to this." Mickey's voice called them over, and then to their surprise they heard Green's voice from a television.

"Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads," he was saying. "And they have found massive weapons of destruction, capable of being deployed within forty five seconds."

"What?" The Doctor said, standing.

"Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction, unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the beast is our only chance of survival. Because from this moment on it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war."

"He's making it up." The Doctor shook his head. "There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it."

Harriet looked worried. "Do you think they'll believe him?"

"They did last time." Rose said.

"They wouldn't if it was just words from one person," Ember said, making them look at her as she poured another drink for herself. "They'd need solid proof. Something big that can't be ignored. Say for example, a spaceship landing in the middle of London..."

The Doctor nodded. "That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out."

"They release the defence code..." Rose added, piecing it together.

"And the Slitheen go nuclear."

"But why?" Harriet asked.

The Doctor turned to where the shutter was over the door was a pressed the switch, lifting the shutter. Three Slitheen were still waiting, though a fourth known as Margaret had gotten back into her disguise.

"You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth." The Doctor said before any of them could speak. "They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked."

Margaret smiled. "And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away."

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place." Harriet argued. "What for?"

"Profit." The Doctor answered. "That's what the signal is, beaming into space. An advert."

"The sale of the century." Margaret was almost gushing. "We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."

"At the cost of five billion lives."

"Bargain."

"I give you a choice. Leave this planet or I'll stop you."

"What, you?" Margaret chuckled, the undisguised aliens giggling. "Trapped in your box?"

"Yes. Me." The Doctor flicked the switch.

Just as the shutters descended again, Ember leaned into view and called "Lost your chance, Blon!"

They couldn't see it, but Margaret's face turned to surprise and worry as the shutters slammed shut again.

The Doctor looked at Ember in puzzlement. "What did you call her?"

"Spoilers," Ember replied, shaking her head as she quickly finished her glass and set it aside. "Maybe I shouldn't be trying to see how much I can handle right now; it's loosening my tongue."

The Doctor looked like he wanted to ask more, but was interrupted when Jackie called over the speaker. "All right, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do."

"If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid." Harriet suggested.

Ember shook her head. "Takes too long and we don't have the equipment."

"Mickey, any luck?" Rose asked.

"There's loads of emergency numbers. They're all on voicemail."

Harriet sighed. "Voicemail dooms us all."

Rose looked around. "If we could just get out of here."

"There's a way out."

The two women looked at the Doctor, who'd spoken. "What?"

"There's always been a way out."

"Then why don't we use it?"

The Doctor turned his attention to the phone, addressing Jackie. "Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe."

"Don't you dare." Jackie immediately refused. "Whatever it is, don't you dare."

"That's the thing. If I don't dare, everyone dies."

Rose steeled herself. "Do it."

The Doctor looked at her in surprise. "You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?"

"Yeah."

"Please, Doctor. Please." Jackie's voice sounded thick, like she was about to cry. "She's my daughter. She's just a kid."

"Do you think I don't know that?" The Doctor told her. "Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."

"Then what're you waiting for?" Rose asked, expression firm.

"I could save the world but lose you." The Doctor glanced at Ember. "Both of you."

Harriet straightened. "Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine."

"And who the hell are you?" Jackie called from the phone.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you. Do it."

Rose looked at the Doctor as he grabbed the red briefcase. "How do we get out?"

"We don't. We stay here." The Doctor grabbed the Emergency Protocols as he addressed Mickey. "Use the buffalo password. It overrides everything."

"Hacking into the Royal Navy. We're in. Here it is. HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth."

"Right, we need to select a missile."

"We can't go nuclear. We don't have the defence codes."

"We don't need it. All we need's an ordinary missile."

Ember tilted her head. "They're so worked up with protecting the nuclear that they forget that any missile is dangerous."

"What's the first category?" The Doctor asked Mickey.

"Sub Harpoon, UGM-A4A."

"That's the one. Select." There was a pause as they heard Jackie make a poor attempt at a threat. "You ready for this?"

"Yeah."

"Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands. Fire."

"How solid are these?" Harriet asked, going to the walls.

"Not solid enough." The Doctor replied. "Built for short range attack, nothing this big."

Rose stood straight. "All right, now I'm making the decision. I'm not going to die. We're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes. You can survive them by standing under a doorframe." She turned to a cupboard at the far side of the room. "Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me. Come on."

Harriet and Ember quickly went over to help, hearing Mickey and Doctor talk about an intercepting strike to stop the missile and their quick thinking to stop it. After about a minute, the Doctor ran over to join them with the phone in hand, and they all crammed into the cupboard, tucking themselves under a shelf.

"Here we go." Harriet reach out and grabbed Rose and the Doctor's hands. The man used his free arm to wrap around Ember and keep her close. "Nice knowing you three. Hannibal!"

There was a huge explosion, and the world flew around for what felt like forever. Ember pressed her forehead against the Doctor's chest as they were tossed around until finally it went still.

The Doctor pushed at the steel door and it fell away easily. The four of them were quick to climb out, looking around at the rubble that used to be 10 Downing Street.

Harriet looked at the cupboard that had barely saved them. "Made in Britain."

"Oh, my God!" A soldier ran up to them. Ember thought his name was Peirce or Price. "Are you all right?"

"Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately. Tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down. Go on, tell the news."

The soldier looked flustered, but nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Harriet looked around again. "Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh, Lord. We haven't even got a Prime Minister."

"Maybe you should have a go." The Doctor suggested.

"Me? Huh. I'm only a back-bencher."

"I'd vote for you." Rose piped up.

Harriet shook her head. "Now, don't be silly. Look, I'd better go and see if I can help. Hang on!" She began to make her way through the rubble towards officers. "We're safe! The Earth is safe! Sergeant!"

"I thought I knew the name." The Doctor suddenly said, making the girls look at him. "Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age."

Ember nodded. "Told you you'd meet a future one."

They watched with smiles as Harriet addresses a growing crowd. "The crisis has passed! Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say to you all here today! Mankind stands tall, proud and undefeated. God bless the human race."

* * *

Rose, Ember and the Doctor were back at the Powell Estate. While the blonde had gone back home to check on her mother and boyfriend, Ember and the Doctor returned to the Tardis to wait, though not before grabbing the kid who'd sprayed graffiti on the side of the Tardis and making him clean it.

"You did really well there," the Doctor said as he worked at the console.

Ember looked at him from where she was seated on the captains chair. "Really? I dunno. I just butt in and took out a whole conversation."

The Doctor looked at her, puzzled. "What conversation?"

"You asked for information on the Slitheen. Rose and Harriet were supposed to give you things that would narrow it down. The colour of their skin, the technology, even the compression field." Ember turned her gaze to the floor. "I don't know why, but I just blurted it out. You would have figured it out."

"Maybe. But by the time we got them into the kitchen, they would have been killed if you hadn't cut through the chatter. Didn't you think the timing was a bit off?"

Ember paused, realising now that he was right. If it had gone the same way in the show, her cutting out part of it would have meant there'd have been more time, but the Slitheen was almost on them by the time they were ready to use the vinegar. Did that mean that, if she'd let them go through the facts and narrow it down, they'd have been too late to save Mickey and Jackie?

The Doctor decided to let her think for a few minutes while he made a phone call. He grabbed what looked like a 1970s Trimphone and used the console to dial Rose's phone. It didn't take long for her to answer.

"Right, I'll be a couple of hours, then we can go." There was a pause. "You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone? Like I said, couple of hours. I've just got to send out this dispersal." He pressed a few more buttons. "There you go. That's cancelling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up."

Ember gave a small smile as she remembered Rose saying her mother was cooking, and the Doctor replied "Good. Put her on a slow heat and let her simmer." The Doctor glanced at her as Rose spoke about them going to eat dinner with them. "I don't do that...Tough... I've got better things to do... Not to me it isn't... Well, she's not mine."

The Doctor moved around the console a little. "Well, you can stay there if you want, but right now there's this plasma storm brewing in the Horsehead Nebula. Fires are burning ten million miles wide. I could fly the Tardis right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the way out. Hurtle right across the sky and end up anywhere. Your choice."

He hung up not long after, and looked at Ember as she spoke. "You know, you do warm up to her mother at some point. Even Mickey."

"Should you be telling me that?" He asked.

"Probably not."

"I thought you'd try to talk me into having dinner with them."

"Oh no, I'm the last one to make someone do something they're not comfortable doing." Ember leaned back against the seat. "I go through that enough, so I know how it feels."

The Doctor moved to stand in front of her, leaning against the console. "Do you have family?"

Ember paused, thinking it over. "I have a feeling that I did, but... I can't seem to remember. It's weird. I had a life: a job, a home, some friends, but if that was all a dream, or illusion, then they weren't real. It could have been another dimension, but there's no way of knowing for sure." She turned her eyes up to the ceiling, marvelling the coral struts and design that wasn't really shown on tv. "I don't know how I got here, or why I'm here. And every time I try to remember something, it's like I'm grabbing at confetti in the wind. Sometimes I can remember, but it slips away so easily..."

The Doctor watched her ramble, feeling a pang in his hearts as he listened. "I'm sure we'll figure it out together."

"Yea." Ember stood, stretching, before looking at him. "Mickey should be outside by now. You have something for him, right?"

"How did...?" The Doctor cut himself off as he shook his head, grabbing a cd off the console before leading the brunette to the doors. As they stepped out, they immediately caught sight of Mickey sat on a rubbish bin, reading a newspaper.

The Doctor looked to the side to see that the boy had finished scrubbing the graffiti off the Tardis. "Good lad. Graffiti that again and I'll have you. Now, beat it."

Mickey looked up at them as the boy ran off with his bucket. "I just went down the shop, and I was thinking, you know, like the whole world's changed. Aliens and spaceships all in public. And here it is." He turned the paper to show them the front page, which read 'Alien Hoax.' "How could they do that? They saw it."

"They're just not ready." The Doctor replied. "You're happy to believe in something that's invisible, but if it's staring you in the face, nope, can't see it. There's a scientific explanation for that. You're thick."

Mickey looked away. "We're just idiots."

"Well, not all of you."

"Yeah?"

Ember nodded. "A person is smart. People as a whole are dumb, panicky dangerous animals that more often than not follow the majority, the voices they think matter get the say."

The Doctor tossed the cd to Mickey. "Present for you, Mickey. That's a virus. Put it online. It'll destroy every mention of me. I'll cease to exist."

"What do you want to do that for?" Mickey asked, puzzled.

"Because you're right, I am dangerous. I don't want anybody following me."

"Sometimes it's better to just stay in the shadows." Ember added.

Mickey caught sight of Jackie and Rose approaching then from the flats. "How can you say that and then take her with you?"

"You could look after her." The Doctor offered. "Come with us."

"I can't. This life of yours, it's just too much. I couldn't do it." The young man glanced at the women again. "Don't tell her I said that."

"I'll get a proper job. I'll work weekends." Jackie was saying as they approached, obviously trying to talk Rose out of leaving. "I'll pass my test, and if Jim comes round again, I'll say no. I really will."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I'm not leaving because of you. I'm travelling, that's all, and then I'll come back."

"But it's not safe."

"Mum, if you saw it out there you'd never stay home."

The Doctor eyed the duffle bag Rose was carrying. "Got enough stuff?"

"Last time I stepped in there, it was spur of the moment. Now I'm signing up. You're stuck with me." She pushed the duffle into his arms and then turned to Mickey. "Come with us. There's plenty of room."

The Doctor caught his eye and decided to have pity on him. "No chance. He's a liability, I'm not having him on board."

"We'd be dead without him."

"My decision is final."

Rose turned to Mickey with an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry."

"Good luck, yeah."

"You still can't promise me." Jackie cut in, facing the Doctor. "What if she gets lost? What if something happens to you, Doctor, and she's left all alone standing on some moon a million light years away. How long do I wait then?"

Rose pulled her mother away, saving the Doctor. "Mum, you're forgetting. It's a time machine. I could go travelling around suns and planets and all the way out to the edge of the universe, and by the time I get back, yeah, ten seconds would have passed. Just ten seconds. So stop worrying. See you in ten seconds' time, yeah?"

Jackie and Rose hugged, and then Rose followed the Doctor into the Tardis. Mickey gave a little wave. Ember paused at the door, glancing back at the two.

"Not quite ten seconds, but I can promise she'll be back." She said before she stepped into the Tardis and closed the door. She held on to the railing as the Doctor piloted them away, but then she flinched when she felt the all too familiar burning come up.

"Looks like I'm going," she called over to them. "Good luck, guys."

She jumped before she heard their replies.

* * *

There we go! Hope that made up for the late update. If it doesn't: There's another two-parter coming!

Next Time: Ember meets River, gets another surprise and finds even more questions.


	7. Chapter Seven: The Impossible Astronaut

Ok, here's a new one for you. Enjoy!

* * *

Ember looked around as the burning faded, recognising Eleven's layout during his adventures with Amy and Rory. Said Doctor was on the other side of the console, grinning as he recognised her.

"Hello!" He cried, practically bouncing over to her. Before she knew it, he had his arms around her in a tight hug. "Where have you just been?"

"Um, London, stopping the Slitheen from starting World War Three." Ember replied. She really needed to get used to this Doctor being very hands on. Speaking of... "And before that I met Agatha Christie. Um, about what happened..." The Doctor stepped back to give her room as she spoke. "Um, Donna kinda shoved me..."

The Doctor put his hand on her shoulder. "It's fine. In all honesty, I'd rather you than Donna. Pretty sure I'd have had a double heart attack if she'd snogged me."

Ember rolled her eyes. "I know she was only a friend, but don't forget she was very special."

"That's true. But you undervalue yourself. I happen to think you're very special as well."

Ember looked away to hide the blush creeping across her face, therefore missing the knowing smirk the Doctor had in response. "Um... where are we, anyway?"

"Ah, well, we've not long rebooted the universe with Big Bang Two." The Doctor decided to let her change the subject. "And I got a message to come here, to this place and this time. You caught me as I was getting my special straw."

"Special straw?" Ember looked back at him, noticing the straw he held, and frowned. "Oh... I think I know where we are now..."

The Doctor tilted his head. "So you know who called?"

"I do, but I can't tell you yet." Ember replied. "I have to call it spoilers for now, but you'll figure it out."

There was a moment pause as the Doctor looked thoughtful, and then he nodded with a sigh. "Alright, I'll play along, for now. Come on then. Best get going."

Ember nodded as he led her to the door, though her mind was racing. Did this mean that she wasn't there when the future Doctor got 'killed' at the lake?

The Tardis turned out to be parked inside the entrance to the restrooms, which made Ember hope that no one would want to use them before they left. The Doctor opened a door to reveal an American diner.

By the bar, Amy, Rory and River turned to look at them as they entered, their expressions ranging from shocked to confused and in one case, angry.

"This is cold." River said lowly as the door closed behind them. "Even by your standards, this is cold."

"Or hello, as people used to say." The Doctor jested lightly, puzzled as to why they were being looked at the way they were.

Amy stepped closer cautiously. "Doctor?"

"I just popped out to get my special straw. It adds more fizz." The Doctor added, raising said straw. "And Ember just popped in. Isn't that lovely?"

The redhead had moved closer still, slowly circling them while staring at the Doctor. "You're okay... How can you be okay?"

The Doctor, concerned at her behaviour, pulled her in for a hug. "Hey, of course I'm okay. I'm always okay. I'm the King of Okay. Oh, that's a rubbish title. Forget that title." He pulled away to go to the husband and hug him as well. "Rory the Roman! That's a good title. Hello, Rory." Finally he addressed River, who was looking thunderous. "And Doctor River Song. Oh, you bad, bad girl. What trouble have you got for me this time?"

River's response was to slap him, hard.

"Okay..." He said, flexing his jaw a little. "I'm assuming that's for something I haven't done yet."

River stared for another moment before she replied stiffly. "Yes, it is."

"Good. Looking forward to it."

"I don't understand." Rory said. "How can you be here?"

The Doctor looked at him as he reached out and grabbed the blue envelope he'd been given. "I was invited. Date, map reference. Same as you lot, I assume, otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence."

"River, what's going on?" Amy asked.

Instead of answering, River instead said "Amy, ask him what age he is."

"That's a bit personal..." the Doctor whined, only for River to round on him.

"Tell her. Tell her what age you are."

"Nine hundred and nine."

Any blinked. "Yeah, but you said you were-"

"So where does that leave us, huh?" River cut in before Amy could continue. Ember knew why: the Doctor they'd seen earlier was 1103, so of course it was confusing to run into the younger one. "Jim the fish? Have we done Jim the fish yet?"

The Doctor smiled, amused. "Who's Jim the fish?"

"I don't understand." Amy admitted.

Rory caught on. "Yeah, you do."

"I don't!" The Doctor whined again. "What are we all doing here?"

Ember gently took the envelope from him. "They got the same invites as you did."

River nodded. "We've been recruited. Something to do with space 1969, and a man called Canton Everett Delaware the third."

"Recruited by who?" The Doctor asked, pacing away from them as he chewed on the straw.

At that River hesitated. "Someone who trusts you more than anybody else in the universe."

"And who's that?"

"Spoilers."

The Doctor huffed. "I only like it when Ember says that word."

"Me?" Ember asked, puzzled. "What's the difference between me saying it and River?"

River blinked then, looking at Ember, before she smiled almost sadly. "Judging by your face, I'm guessing this is the first time you meet me?"

Ember looked puzzled. "Um, yes?" What did she mean by that?

"Ah, then you haven't been there yet." River smiled at the even more confused look the brunette was giving her. "Sorry, Sweetie. Spoilers count for you too."

* * *

The group returned to the Tardis, where the Doctor busied himself with running around the console, flicking switches.

"1969, that's an easy one! Funny, how some years are easy. Now, 1482, full of glitches. Now then, Canton Everett Delaware the third. That was his name, yeah? How many of those can there be? Well, three, I suppose." He noticed that Amy and River had descended to the lower level of the console room. "Rory, is everybody cross with me for some reason?"

Rory hesitated. "I'll find out."

As the husband quickly left, the Doctor turned to face Ember, looking almost hurt.

"I know it's hard," she said, trying to offer support while at the same time buying the others time. "But they've seen something that you'll see later, so you can't know yet."

"I hate waiting." The Doctor muttered as he flicked more switches.

"I know." Ember tried to smile, but it was forced. "But believe me, you have to wait."

The Doctor waited for a few more seconds, and then he moved to the edge of the platform and lay flat on his front so he could lean over the edge and talk to the three on the lower level. "I'm being extremely clever up here, and there's no one to stand around looking impressed, other than Ember who already knows how impressive I am! What's the point in having you all?"

Ember couldn't help a smile as he pulled himself back up to get back to working on the console. A few moments later, Amy, Rory and River returned to the upper deck.

"Time isn't a straight line. It's all bumpy wumpy. There's loads of boring stuff like Sundays and Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons. But now and then there are Saturdays." The Doctor explained. "Big temporal tipping points when anything's possible. The Tardis can't resist them, like a moth to a flame. She loves a party, so I give her 1969 and NASA, because that's space in the sixties, and Canton Everett Delaware the third, and this is where she's pointing."

Amy looked at the monitor that showed the answer. "Washington D.C., April the eighth, 1969. So why haven't we landed?"

"Because that's not where we're going."

"Oh." Rory said. "Where are we going?"

"Home. Well, you two are. Off you pop and make babies. And you, Doctor Song, back to prison. And me? I'm late for a biplane lesson in 1911. Or it could be knitting. Knitting or biplanes. One or the other. Ember, do you know how to knit?" He didn't wait for an answer as he sat in one of the jumpseats and gave them all a flat look. "What? A mysterious summons. You think I'm just going to go? Who sent those messages? I know you know. I can see it in your faces. Don't play games with me. Don't ever, ever think you're capable of that."

"Doctor..." Ember murmured. She so badly wanted to tell him the truth, but who knew what would happen if he found out too early.

"You're going to have to trust us this time." River said.

The Doctor look unimpressed as he stood. "Trust you? Sure. But, first of all, Doctor Song, just one thing. Who are you? You're someone from my future. Getting that. But who?" River didn't back down. "Okay. Why are you in prison? Who did you kill, hmm? Now, I love a bad girl, me, but trust you? Seriously."

"Trust me." Amy cut in. The Doctor silently regarded her. "You have to do this, and you can't ask why."

"Are you being threatened?" He asked. "Is someone making you say that?"

"No."

"You're lying."

"I'm not lying."

The Doctor faced her head on. "Swear to me. Swear to me on something that matters."

Seconds went by, and Ember grew confused. Amy should have said her line by now. Why hadn't she? To her increasing surprise, the redhead looked at her.

"I know you know what's happening," she said. "Please, say something, anything."

"Oh no, don't you go making her feel worse for her foreknowledge," the Doctor cut in, moving so that he was between the two women. "You've done that before and you know how that turned out."

Ember faltered. What did he mean by that?

River caught her eye and gave her a nod. Ember took a breath, moved so that she could reach up to the Doctor's ear and whispered the first thing that came to mind.

"Theta, please."

The Doctor instantly turned to look at her in puzzlement. "What?"

"You heard me." Ember said. "You can trust them. Please."

After another long pause, the Doctor finally smiled. "My life in your hands, Ember. Just like it's always been."

He moved away, back toward the console, as Amy gave her a thankful look.

River did the same. "Thank you."

"Dunno why you're thanking me," Ember replied. "You'd have gotten through to him. You were supposed to."

"You and your show," River shook her head with a knowing smile. "You should know by now that it's not all going the same as it did on tv."

Ember shrugged. "Some of it has to stay the same, though, right?"

As Ember moved to join the Doctor at the console, River shook her head again. "Not as much as you think, Sweetie."

"So! Canton Everett Delaware the third." The Doctor called. "Who's he?"

River moved to the monitor. "Ex FBI. Got kicked out."

"Why?"

"Six weeks after he left the Bureau, the President contacted him for a private meeting."

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah, 1969. Who's President?"

"Richard Milhous Nixon. Vietnam, Watergate." River could practically feel the Doctor roll his eyes. "There's some good stuff, too."

"Not enough."

"Hippie!"

"Archaeologist."

"Flirting? Really, Doctor?" Amy called. "One isn't enough?"

Ember glanced over in puzzlement, but the Doctor ignored her. "Okay, since I don't know what I'm getting into this time, for once I'm being discreet. I'm putting the engines on silent."

He pulled a lever and there was suddenly a wailing noise. River quickly threw a different switch and it went quiet

"Did you do something?" The Doctor asked, looking around the central console.

"No, just watching." River calmly replied.

The Doctor looked at her for another moment before he continued. "Putting the outer shield on invisible. I haven't done this in a while. Big drain on the power."

"You can turn the Tardis invisible?" Rory asked.

"Ha!" A flick of the switch and suddenly bright lights shone everywhere.

River rolled her eyes. "Very nearly." She moved another lever and the lights went back to normal.

"Er, did you touch something?" The Doctor asked again.

"Just admiring your skills, sweetie."

The Doctor glanced at Ember, who shrugged, and then he smiled. "Good. You might learn something. Okay. Now I can't check the scanner. It doesn't work when we're cloaked. Just give us a mo."

He ran towards the doors, only to turn when Amy and Rory went to follow. "Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa. You lot, wait a moment. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth. Let's take it slow."

The Doctor stepped out of the Tardis. River and Ember waited for a few minutes, and then the whole place shook like something had bumped into it.

"He walked right into us, didn't he?" River asked Ember, who nodded. "Every time."

"Don't worry! It always does that when its cloaked." The Doctor called now that he was close enough for them to hear him. Then there was the sound of a struggle. "Ah, no! Stop that!"

River quickly grabbed the monitor and starting working on it, while Rory joined them. "He said the scanner wouldn't work."

"I know. Bless."

The scanner clicked on, showing the Doctor being wrestled to the floor by several men in black suits. "Stop that! Argh! Oh! River, have you got my scanner working yet?"

"Oh, I hate him." River muttered.

"No, you don't!" Ember replied at the same time as the Doctor, who then added "River, make her blue again!"

River rolled her eyes, but quickly hit the right switches to restore the Tardis to its familiar 'Blue Box' template.

"What the hell is that?" They heard President Nixon ask as the scanner could now run at full capacity.

"Mister President," The Doctor, now sat at the President's desk, tried a Texan accent but dropped it quickly. "That child just told you everything you need to know, but you weren't listening. Never mind, though, because the answer's yes. I'll take the case." On the screen, he looked at the suited men pointing guns at him. "Fellows, the guns, really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States and parked a big blue box on the rug. Do you think you can just shoot me?"

River took off before Ember could stop her, running out of the door. "They're Americans!"

"Don't shoot!" The Doctor quickly called, standing up and raising his hands as Amy and Rory joined River outside the Tardis. Ember chose to wait by the door. "Definitely no shooting!"

"Nobody shoot us either." Rory added. "Very much not in need of getting shot. Look, we've got our hands up."

"Who the hell are you?" The President demanded.

Canton cut in. "Sir, you need to stay back."

"But who are they and what is that box?"

The Doctor looked at him like he was an idiot. "It's a police box. Can't you read?" He moved to sit back down in the presidential chair. "I'm your new undercover agent on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name the Doctor. These are my top operatives, the Legs, the Nose, and Mrs Robinson."

River shook her head. "I hate you."

"No, you don't." The Doctor shot back casually. "Oh, and Miss Ember is with us too. Not coming out, dear?"

Ember leaned against the door, raising her voice so she could be heard. "I really don't like the idea of having guns pointing at me. I'll wait here, thanks."

"Who are you?" Nixon demanded again.

"Nah, boring question. Who's phoning you?" The Doctor waved off the question with another. "That's interesting. Because Canton Three is right. That was definitely a girl's voice, which means there's only one place in America she can be phoning from."

Canton's interest was piqued. "Where?"

"Do not engage with the intruder, Mister Delaware." One of the suited agents said.

"You heard everything I heard." The Doctor replied, ignoring the suit. "It's simple enough. Give me five minutes, I'll explain. On the other hand, lay a finger on me or my friends, and you'll never, ever know."

Canton looked at him as he propped his feet up on the desk, gesturing to the Tardis. "How did you get it in here? I mean, you didn't carry it in."

"Clever, eh?"

"Love it."

"Do not compliment the intruder." The suit tried to cut in, but was ignored once again.

"Five minutes?"

"Five."

The suited man was insistent. "Mister President, that man is a clear and present danger to-"

"Mister President, that man walked in here with a big blue box and four of his friends," Canton pointed a finger at the suited man, "and that's the man he walked past. One of them's worth listening to. I say we give him five minutes. See if he delivers."

"Thanks, Canton." The Doctor smiled.

"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself."

The Doctor's smile fell. "Not so thanks."

The suited man tried one more time. "Sir, I cannot recommend-"

Apparently the president had had enough. "Shut up, Peterson! All right, five minutes."

The Doctor's grin returned as he straightened and messed with things on the desk. "I'm going to need a SWAT team, ready to mobilise. Street level maps covering all of Florida. A pot of coffee, twelve Jammie Dodgers and a fez."

Canton gave him a look as the suits slowly lowered their weapons. "Get him his maps."

"Ember! All clear!"

There was a pause as the Tardis door opened just enough for Ember to slip out without showing what was inside. To her surprise and relief, River quickly moved to hug her.

* * *

A short time later, the Oval Office was littered with maps of Florida. Most of the suits had left, leaving a few to watch the 'guests' as they carefully went over the maps.

"Why Florida?" Canton asked.

"There's where NASA is." The Doctor replied, dragging another map to the president's desk. "She mentioned a spaceman. NASA's where the spacemen live. Also, there's another lead I'm following."

"Should I tell you?" Ember asked, keeping her voice low so the others wouldn't hear her. "Who she is, where..."

She glanced to the side of the room by chance, and saw the Silent that was watching her from the doorway of the room. She expected it to do or say something, but to her surprise it seemed to take an uncertain step back, as though it were wary of her. She looked away, expecting to forget the last few seconds, but to her greater shock she found herself able to recall it clearly.

What did that mean? How could she remember the Silent when its basic ability was to make you forget you saw them? Was it because she'd seen it on the show? And why did it look wary when she saw it?

"Amy, what's wrong?"

Rory's question brought Ember out of her musings, turning to see Amy looking a bit ill.

"Amy?" River called, the Doctor adding "Are you all right?"

Amy nodded weakly. "Yeah. No, I'm fine. I'm just feeling a little sick." She looked at the suited man by the door. "Excuse me, is there a toilet or something?"

"Sorry, ma'am, while this procedure's ongoing, you must remain within the Oval office."

Canton rolled his eyes. "Shut up and take her to the restroom."

"This way, ma'am." One of the other suits said.

"Thanks." Amy followed the man out. Rory went to follow, but was stopped by the first suit.

Ember hesitated, noticing that the Silent she saw earlier was no longer in the room. It must have left before Amy did. She was tempted to follow, but decided it was better not to risk it. Besides, Amy was going to be relatively fine, and River wouldn't be here if things had changed.

"Your five minutes are up." Canton said to the Doctor, who looked up at him.

"Yeah, and where's my fez?"

Before anyone could answer, the phone suddenly rang.

Canton looked over. "The kid?"

"Should I answer it?" President Nixon asked.

"Here!" The Doctor declared, pointing to something on one of the maps. "The only place in the United States that call could be coming from. See? Obvious, when you think about it."

Canton looked at the map as Amy and the suited man returned, spotting what the Doctor was pointing at. "You, sir, are a genius."

"It's a hobby."

"Mister President, answer the phone."

Nixon reached over and pressed the button on his phone, putting it on speaker. "Hello. This is President Nixon."

"It's here!" The voice of a girl cried. "The spaceman's here! It's going to get me! It's gonna eat me!"

The Doctor leapt to his feet. "There's no time for a SWAT team. Let's go! Mister President, tell her help's on the way." He ran to the Tardis, closely followed by Ember. "Canton, on no account follow me into this box and close the door behind you."

"What the hell are you doing?" Canton called as Amy and Rory followed River into the Tardis. It was just before they left that Canton jointed them, closing the door behind him before he faced the room and saw the inside.

"Jefferson isn't a girl's name." The Doctor was saying as he ran around the console. "It's not her name either. Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton. River?"

"Surnames of three of America's founding fathers." River replied, looking at the monitor.

"Lovely fellows. Two of them fancied me."

"And two fancied Ember. You didn't like that, did you?"

Ember looked puzzled as the Doctor frowned. What was going on?

Rory noticed Canton staring with wide eyes and an open mouth. "Are you okay? Coping?"

"You see, the President asked the child two questions." The Doctor either didn't notice or didn't care about the extra guest. "Where are you and who are you? She was answering where."

Canton slowly closed his mouth. "It's bigger on the inside."

"Yeah, you get used to it."

"Now, where would you find three big, historical names in a row like that?" The Doctor asked.

Amy looked up. "Where?"

"Here. Come on." The Doctor landed the Tardis and headed to the door, stopping by Canton, who was still a little overwhelmed. The Timelord looked st Rory. "Are you taking care of this?"

Rory sighed. "Why is it always my turn?"

Amy kisses him on the cheek as she passed. "Because you're the newest."

Ember could only give him a shrug as she passed, following the Doctor, River and Amy out of the Tardis and into what looked like a disused warehouse. It was such a dingy, cluttered place that looked like it hadn't been used in decades.

Amy was looking around. "Where are we?"

"About five miles from Cape Kennedy Space Centre." The Doctor replied. "It's 1969, the year of the moon. Interesting, don't you think?"

"But why would a little girl be here?"

"I don't know. Lost me a bit. The President asked the girl where she was, and she did what any lost little girl would do. She looked out of the window."

Ember followed Amy to the closest window, looking out at the streets. In clear view was a street sign that had three plates that were engraved with Hamilton Av, Jefferson St and Adams St.

"Streets." Amy breathed in realisation. "Of course, street names."

"The only place in Florida, probably all of America, with those three street names on the same junction." The Doctor explained. "And Doctor Song, you and Ember have got that face on again."

River blinked while Ember looked puzzled. "What face?"

"The 'he's hot when he's clever' face."

"This is my normal face."

"Yes, it is." He smirked as Ember blushed and looked away.

"Oh, shut up."

"Not a chance."

Rory finally got Canton out of the Tardis. The ex-FBI looked flabbergasted at their surroundings. "We've moved. How, how can we have moved?"

The Doctor looked st Rory. "You haven't even got to space travel yet?"

"I was going to cover it with time travel."

"Time travel..." Canton breathed.

"Brave heart, Canton." The Doctor encouraged. "Come on."

"So we're in a box that's bigger on the inside, and it travels through time and space."

"Yeah, basically."

Canton blinked. "How long have Scotland Yard had this?"

Ember smiled and shook her head.

"It's a warehouse of some kind." River said, bringing them back to the situation at hand. "Disused."

"You realise this is almost certainly a trap, of course?" The Doctor asked.

"I noticed the phone, yes."

Amy looked at them. "What about it?"

"It was cut off. So how did the child phone from here?"

Ember frowned. "Who says she needed a phone? For all we know, she may have another form of communication."

Amy gave her a confused look. "Okay, but why would anyone want to trap us?"

"You're asking that, of all things?" Ember countered.

"Let's see if anyone tries to kill us and work backwards." The Doctor cut in gently.

River nodded in agreement. "Now, why would a little girl be here?"

"I don't know. Let's find her and ask her."

It wasn't long before they found a room that had some odd contents. Crates with seemingly random items surrounded what looked like a tilted autopsy table. River pulled out her scanner.

"It's nonterrestrial. Definitely alien." She said as the Doctor rummaged in a crate. "Probably not even from this time zone."

"Which is odd, because look at this!" The Doctor pulled out a spacesuit from the crate.

River moved to scan it. "It's earth tech. It's contemporary."

"It's very contemporary." The Doctor corrected her. "Cutting edge. This is from the space program."

"Stolen?"

"What, by aliens?" Amy asked.

"Apparently."

"But why?" Amy was looking more confused by the moment. "I mean, if you can make it all the way to Earth, why steal technology that can barely make it to the moon?"

"Maybe because it's cooler? Look how cool this stuff is." The Doctor putting on a helmet, unknowingly making Amy shudder at what it reminded her of.

"Cool aliens?"

"Well, what would you call me?"

"An alien."

"Oi!"

"I, er..." Rory called from the back, Canton right next to him. "I think he's okay now."

The Doctor grinned. "Ah! Back with us, Canton."

Canton nodded. "I like your wheels."

"That's my boy. So, come on. Little girl. Let's find her."

Amy and River were examining the alien tech, which had a lot of gunk and slime on it. Ember moved closer to them to listen.

"River..." Amy began, but River cut her off.

"I know what you're thinking."

"No, you don't."

"You're thinking if we can find the spaceman in 1969 and neutralise it, then it won't be around in 2011 to kill the Doctor."

"...Okay, lucky guess."

"It's only because I was thinking it too."

"So let's do it."

"It isn't that easy," Ember interrupted, gaining their attention. "For all you know, the next time you see the spaceman, it would already have done what you're trying to stop it doing."

Amy looked at her. "You know what happened at the lake, right?"

"Amy, she can't tell us," River tried to get her to drop it, but the redhead wasn't deterred.

"You can't say you agree with this! Can't you tell us something?"

Ember sighed. "All I can tell you is that what happened at the lake happened. The spaceman comes out of the lake, shoots him, and then leaves. You can't change it. River?"

The woman nodded. "It doesn't work like that. We came here because of what we saw in the future. If we try and prevent the future from happening, we create a paradox."

"And believe me, a paradox is something none of us want."

"Time can be rewritten." Amy insisted.

River shook her head. "Not all of it."

"Says who?"

"Who do you think?" River gave her a stern look and glanced at Ember. "And even then, I believe Ember when she says it can't be avoided. She knows more than me and the Doctor combined. If she says no, then it's a no."

Ember furrowed her brow. Not only was River saying things that didn't make sense, but it was also past the point where she should have seen the cables leading to the manhole by now. With a sigh, she decided that she needed to give a little push. "Um, guys? Look here."

River looked over, finally noticing the manhole cover. "What's this?"

"We can still save him." Amy tried again, but Ember just shook her head. She wanted to tell the redhead the truth, but she couldn't risk unwanted ears hearing it. She hadn't seen any Silent yet, but she knew they were near.

River also ignored Amy in favour of calling the boys over. "Doctor? Look at this."

The Doctor jogged over to them, looking at the manhole cover as River tugged the kid to one side. "So where does that go?"

"There's a network of tunnels running under here." River said, scanning.

"Life signs?"

"No, nothing that's showing up."

"Those are the worst kind." The Doctor muttered before he noticed River opening the cover and getting ready to go down it. "Be careful."

River looked up at him. "Careful? I tried that once. Ever so dull."

"Shout if you get in trouble."

"Don't worry, I'm quite the screamer." There was a mischievous glint in her eye now. "Now there's a spoiler for you."

"Too much info, River!" Ember called as the archaeologist disappeared down the manhole. Canton walked up to them.

"Tell me what's going on here." He said.

The Doctor faltered. "Er, nothing. She's just a friend. So's River."

"I think he's talking about the possible alien incursion." Rory helpfully corrected.

"Okay."

There was a slightly awkward pause before Canton spoke again, examining some surgical equipment nearby. "So, I was in a bar having a drink. Tell me, honestly, Am I still there?"

Amy shook her head. "Afraid not."

At that moment, River came back up the ladder. Ember was the only one who saw her panicked face before she calmed, forgetting what she'd seen.

"All clear. Just tunnels. Nothing down there I can see." She reported, then hesitated. "Er, give me five minutes. I want to take another look around."

"Stupidly dangerous!" The Doctor pointed out.

"Yeah, I like it too. Amy, look after him." River smiled before she went back down the ladder.

The Doctor sighed before turning to Rory. "Rory, would you mind going with her?"

"Yeah, a bit."

"Then I'd appreciate it all the more."

Rory looked like he wanted to argue, but thought better of it and went to the ladder. "Hang on, River. I'm coming too."

As the former Roman descended the ladder, the Doctor moved to Ember's side. He'd noticed her growing anxiety and the signs giving it away; she'd starting biting her thumb nail. He gently put his hand over hers to stop her. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" Ember looked up at him in surprise. "Oh. Yea, I'm fine."

"Care to give any hints?"

Ember bit her lip and glanced away, missing how the Doctor has zeroed in on the action. "Well... there's more to this little girl than meets the eye. And... there's something else, something that didn't happen in the show."

"Such as?"

"I saw something I shouldn't have seen. I want to tell you, but it's too early. Telling you now could ruin everything."

"I know how that feels," the Doctor muttered to himself before he moved to gently pull Ember into a hug. "I know it's hard, but you're doing great."

Ember huffed, allowing the affection. "You're always telling me that. Maybe someday I'll believe it."

Amy, who was watching the couple, decided to let them have their moment and turned to Canton. "So, you were kicked out of the FBI because you had attitude problems?"

"No, I just wanted to get married." Canton shook his head."

"Is that a crime?"

"Yes." Was the short answer before he changed the subject, gesturing to where the Doctor was poking his nose into some of the crates. "Doctor who, exactly?"

"Ah. That's classified."

"Classified by who?"

Amy rolled her eyes. "God knows."

"Do you work for him?

"He's my friend, if friend is the right word. I haven't seen him in a while." Amy glanced back at where Ember and the Doctor were still hugging. "I had something I wanted to tell him, but stuff always gets in the way."

Canton gave a small smile. "Stuff does that."

Suddenly, they could hear the voice of a familiar little girl. "Help me! Help! Help me!"

"That's her." Canton took off, but Amy suddenly doubled over before she could follow.

The Doctor saw it and instantly ran to her side. "Amy?"

"Help me! Please!" The girl called again.

"Amy, What's wrong?"

Amy looked up at him in worry. "I need to tell you something. It's important."

Canton's voice came from the tunnel where he had chased the voice. "Doctor!"

"It's really, really important."

"Doctor, quickly!"

"What, now?!" The Doctor grabbed Amy by the hand and ran, grabbing Ember along the way. It wasn't long before they found Canton on the ground in the tunnel. "Canton! Canton, are you okay?"

Amy paled. "Is he all right?"

The Doctor nodded. "Just unconscious. Got a proper whack."

"Doctor, I need to tell you something. I have to tell you it now."

"Not a great moment."

"It's not ever going to be," Ember countered. Amy nodded. "No, it's important. It has to be now."

"Help! Help me! Help me!" The girl's cries were getting closer.

"Doctor, I'm pregnant."

The Doctor looked at Amy in shock, but then they heard heavy footsteps behind them. Ember was just about to turn when she felt the burning sensation suddenly build up.

"Oh no, not now!" She cried. It was quickly overwhelming her senses, but just before she jumped she was able to hear the Doctor cry out and the sound of a gun firing before all went white.

The last thing she saw was the spacesuit-wearing girl lurch back with a crack in the helmet.

* * *

And here's another two parter! Part two will be soon!

Next Time: Ember gets closer to losing it as she faces the Silence.


	8. Chapter Eight: Day of the Moon

Ok, here's part two!

* * *

Ember regained her senses as the burning eased, but didn't completely disappear, giving her heartburn again, and almost panicked when she found herself in a small, dark room. The panic receded quickly when she spotted Canton by the far wall, two body bags on the floor and the Doctor sat in a chair bound in chains and a strait-jacket, full beard and shaggy hair included as he twisted in the seat to look behind him.

Ember went to speak, only to pause when the Doctor mouthed 'ssh', and then he looked at Canton and asked "Door sealed?"

"You bet." Canton replied.

The Doctor immediately stood, shaking off the shackles and strait-jacket. The body bags sat up, gasping for breath, and Ember ran over to help unzip the one Rory was in while the Doctor went to Amy's. "Are you okay?"

"Finally." Amy said as she pulled herself to her feet.

Rory gave Ember a nod of thanks as she held out a hand to help him up. "These things could really do with air holes!"

Canton shrugged. "Never had a complaint before."

"Of course not. The people you normally put in there don't need to breathe anymore." Ember said as she stepped away from Rory, only to tense up when someone hugged her from behind. The tickle of a rough beard at the back of her neck told her who it was. "Doctor?"

"Gimme a sec," he muttered, his breath ghosting over her ear and making her shiver. "I missed you. I was worried."

Ember sent a questioning look at Canton, Amy and Rory, since they were now in front of her, but the married couple only shook their heads with soft smiles as Canton shrugged. Because her right arm was pinned by the hug, she used her left hand to awkwardly pat the hands crossed over her stomach, not sure what else to do. "Um, I'm sorry I left. But I just came from the warehouse you found the girl in. I haven't been anywhere else. I guess whatever makes me jump decided that I didn't need to run around America or sit here for three months..."

"That's good," The Doctor replied, loosening his hold but not breaking it. "I'd have been more worried if you were out there or stuck here."

"Ok..." Ember wasn't sure what to do now, but she could sense that the Doctor needed this, for whatever reason.

Amy looked at Canton. "Isn't it going to look odd that you're staying in here with us?"

"Odd, but not alarming." Canton admitted. "They know there's no way out of this place."

Taking a deep breath, the Doctor finally let go of Ember, pulling at his suspenders and letting them snap back into place. "Exactly. Whatever they might think we're doing in here, they know we're not going anywhere." He slumped to one side, but instead of falling to the floor he ended up leaning against the invisible Tardis. With a snap of his fingers, the doors opened. "Shall we?"

"What about Doctor Song?" Canton asked as they followed the Doctor into the Tardis. "She dove off a rooftop."

"Don't worry. She does that. Amy, Rory, open all the doors to the swimming pool." A few minutes later, River flew through the doors and into the depths of the ship, where they could hear a splash, and the Doctor piloted them away. River reappeared soon after, toweling her hair.

"So, we know they're everywhere." The Doctor summed up, now in his tweed jacket. "Not just a landing party, an occupying force, and they have been here a very, very long time. But nobody knows that, because no one can remember them."

"So what are they up to?" Canton asked.

"No idea. But the good news is, we've got a secret weapon."

The Doctor landed the Tardis, and then he ran to the doors, followed by the rest of the gang. Ember hung out in the doorway as they looked up at the Kennedy Space Centre, where a large rocket was on a launch pad, ready to go.

"Apollo 11's your secret weapon?" River asked, puzzled.

"No, no. It's not Apollo 11. That would be silly." The Doctor grinned. "It's Neil Armstrong's foot."

Ember rolled her eyes at Canton's confused look. "Just nod and go along with it. It'll make sense later."

* * *

After the Doctor had had a quick shower and a shave, he rummaged around under the console before taking out something that looked like a gun but had a needle on the end. Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed Canton's hand and pressed the 'gun' against his palm before pulling the trigger.

"Ow!" He yelped, rubbing his palm.

"Ha. So, three months." The Doctor said, walking to Rory next. "What have we found out?"

"Well, they are everywhere. Every state in America." Rory flinched as he got injected. "Ahh!"

"Not just America, the entire world."

"There's a greater concentration here, though." River added.

Amy flinched as the Doctor did the same to her palm. "Ow!"

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked her.

"All better." Amy nodded, rubbing her palm.

"Better?"

"Turns out I was wrong. I'm not pregnant."

Rory noticed them talking quietly. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Really, nothing." Amy quickly replied, obviously not wanting to worry her husband. "Seriously."

Canton looked thoughtful. "So you've seen them, but you don't remember them."

"You've seen them, too. That night at the warehouse, remember?" River said. "While you were pretending to hunt us down, we saw hundreds of those things. We still don't know what they look like."

"I do."

Everyone turned to Ember, who had spoken. The Doctor had been trying to get her to give him her hand, but she stubbornly kept both of them behind her back and her back against the far wall.

The Doctor looked at her in surprise. "Pardon? Did you say you do?"

"Yea, I remember them." Ember replied, her gaze to the floor. "I don't know why or how, but I remember when I see them."

She glanced up at them, taking in their shocked expressions, and then she nodded at the injector in the Doctor's hand. "And that's why I don't need that. I don't like needles anyway."

"You don't like sharp things in general," the Doctor corrected gently as he backed off, giving Ember what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

Everyone could see that the brunette was uncomfortable with the attention, so Rory decided to get back on the subject. "So with everyone else, it's like they edit themselves out of your memory as soon as you look away. The exact second you're not looking at them, you can't remember anything."

"Sometimes you feel a bit sick, though, but not always." Amy added, and missed Ember's concerned look. She knew that it wasn't just the Silence causing the sickness.

"So that's why you marked your skin." Canton realised, remembering how Amy, Rory and River had tally marks on their arms and faces.

"Only way we'd know if we'd had an encounter."

"How long have they been here?"

"That's what we've spent the last three months trying to find out."

"Not easy, if you can't remember anything you discover." Rory pointed out.

Canton looked at him. "How long do you think?"

"As long as there's been something in the corner of your eye, or creaking in your house, or breathing under your bed, or voices through a wall." The Doctor said calmly. "They've been running your lives for a very long time now, so keep this straight in your head. We are not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution. And today, the battle begins."

"How?"

"Like this." The Doctor quickly injected River's hand before she could pull away, grinning as she glared at him for it. "Nanorecorder. Fuses with the cartilage in your hand." He injected his own hand. "Ow. And it tunes itself directly to the speech centres in your brain. It'll pick up your voice, no matter what. Telepathic connection. So, the moment you see one of the creatures, you activate it, and describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."

He pressed his palm, which then glowed with a tiny red light, and the Doctor's voice repeated back to them "And describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."

"Because the moment you break contact, you're going to forget it happened. The light will flash if you've left yourself a message. You keep checking your hand if you've had an encounter." He held up his palm for emphasis. "That's the first you'll know about it."

Canton looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me this before we started?"

"I did, but even information about these creatures erases itself over time. I couldn't refresh it because I couldn't talk to you."

Canton looked away for a moment, and then turned back and adjusted the Doctor's bow tie. He blinked as he saw everyone looking at him. "What? What are you staring at?"

"Look at your hand." River said, gesturing to his hand, the palm of which was flashing.

"Why is it doing that?"

The Doctor gave him a patient look. "What does it mean if the light's flashing? What did I just tell you?"

Canton blinked, confused. "I haven't..."

"Play it."

Ember looked at the hologram of the Silent that Amy had managed to get a picture of earlier, listening to the recording of Canton seeing the image and the Doctor planting the idea in his head to straighten his bow tie. When it was over, they all looked at the hologram.

"It's a hologram, extrapolated from the photo on Amy's phone. Take a good, long look." The Doctor let them for a few seconds, and then turned off the image, snapping his fingers. "You just saw an image of one of the creatures we're fighting. Describe it to me."

Canton should his head. "I can't."

"No. Neither can I."

"I can," Ember said. "They're tall, nearly eight feet, and really thin. They wear a suit like FBI, and their skin is almost white and wrinkled. Their heads are big and round, like your stereotype alien, with three long fingers, and their eyes are small but look bigger because of big, sunken eye sockets. You can't see the mouth unless they attack, which they do with electricity. They can also use what's commonly known as subliminal messaging."

The Doctor nodded. "You straightened my bow tie because I planted the idea in your head while you were looking at the creature."

Amy looked thoughtful. "So they could do that to people. You could be doing stuff and not really knowing why you're doing it."

"Like posthypnotic suggestion." Rory realised.

"Ruling the world with posthypnotic suggestion?"

The Doctor nodded again. "Now then, a little girl in a spacesuit. They got the suit from NASA, but where did they get the girl?"

"It could be anywhere." Canton pointed out.

"Except they'd probably stay close to that warehouse, because why bother doing anything else? And they'd take her from somewhere that would cause the least amount of attention. But you'll have to find her. I'm off to NASA with Ember."

"Find her? Where do we look?"

The Doctor looked grim. "Children's homes."

* * *

After dropping Amy and Canton off with a list of orphanages to search, and River and Rory with the President, the Doctor went back to the Apollo 11 spacecraft with Ember. He was working on something in the module as she kept a look out.

Ember had been tempted to go with Amy, but she didn't know how long it would be before they found the right place, and she figured she'd only get in the way when the Silence would 'abduct' the redhead, or at least make it look that way.

"You're awfully quiet." The Doctor's voice brought her out of her musing, making her glance back at him. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Shouldn't you be busy?" She asked instead.

The Doctor shrugged. "I can multitask. So?"

Ember weighed her options before she sighed and moved to sit next to the module he was messing with. "I'm just confused, is all. I don't know why I can remember the... aliens. And for some reason, they seem to be scared of me. Why? I'm not special. I should be forgetting them, and they damn sure shouldn't be scared of me."

"First of all, you are special." The Doctor paused his work to look at her, frowning. "And anyone that tells you otherwise is an idiot. Second, there could be a number of things that explain why you can remember them, and why they're afraid of you."

"Such as?"

"Might be because you saw them on 'the show', so they can't get rid of those 'memories'." The Doctor made air quotes where needed. "It might also be because you're..."

He trailed off suddenly, making Ember look at him in puzzlement. "Because I'm...? What?"

"Have you met the Ood at all yet? Or the Daleks? How about The Library?"

Ember blinked, thrown off by the abrupt change of topic. "No, no and no. Not looking forward to the pepperpots in general. Why?"

The Doctor hesitated. "You'll find out when you get there. But I have to say spoilers for now."

"Ok," Ember said, frustrated but understanding. "I have another question. You were more clingy than normal earlier, when I appeared in the cell. Can I ask why? Is it because I was gone for three months from your point of view?"

"Ah, that I can answer," the Doctor said, his tense body relaxing a little as he moved to get back to work. "Since you started jumping up and down my timeline, there's only been a handful of times where the time between you leaving and then reappearing has lasted more than a week. I've grown to quite enjoy your company between adventures, so it... gets a bit lonely when you don't pop up for a while."

Ember looked at him in surprise. "You... enjoy my company? Me?"

The Doctor nodded enthusiastically. "Quite so. You probably won't believe me, but I like the times when it's just you and me in the Tardis or relaxing somewhere that doesn't have someone or something trying to kill us."

Ember had to look away to hide the blush on her face, silently scolding herself. She could not start developing a crush on this man, not when she knew what he'd been through and what he was going to go through.

The Doctor was about to say something else, but he was interrupted by his communicator ringing. He quickly answered it when he saw on the tiny screen who it was. "Amy."

_"I think we've found the place she was taken from."_ The redhead said.

"How do you know?"

_"Because those things have been here. But the_ _whole place is deserted. There's just one guy here and I think he's lost it."_

"Repeated memory wipes fry your head eventually. Find out what you can, but don't hang around."

_"Where are you?"_

The Doctor noticed Ember suddenly tense before there was the sound of footsteps. "Got to go. Got company." He hung up and sat up just as two scientists came around the corner, waving a random piece of tech. "Don't worry, I've put everything back the way I found it. Except this. There's always a bit left over, isn't there?"

The men were clearly not impressed.

* * *

Diagrams of the command module and the lander stood out on the blackboards of the lecture hall where Ember and the Doctor had been escorted to. The head of security, coincidentally named Gardner, was in charge of interrogating the intruders.

"Now, one more time, sir." He said. "How the hell did you get into the command module?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he tried gnawing in the cuffs on his wrists. "I told you. We're on a top secret mission for the President."

"Well, maybe if you just get President Nixon to assure us of that, sir, that would be swell."

"I sent him a message."

At that moment, the President stepped into the room, followed by River and Rory, the former wearing a blue dress while the latter was dressed in a smart suit.

"Hello." Nixon said. "I believe it's Mister Gardner. Is that correct? Head of Security?"

Gardner looked surprised at the extra special guest. "Er, yes sir. Yes, Mister President."

Nixon looked at the other man guarding the intruders. "Mister Grant, is it?"

"Yes, Mister President."

"The hopes and dreams of millions of Americans stand here today at Cape Kennedy, and you're the men who guard those dreams. On behalf of the American people, I thank you."

Gardner looked part pleased, part embarrassed. "You're welcome, Mister President."

"I understand you have a baby on the way, Mister Grant."

"Yes, Mister President."

"What are you hoping for, a boy or a girl?"

"Just a healthy American, sir."

"A healthy American will do just nicely." Nixon nodded before he got back on topic. "Now, fellows, listen. This man and woman, here, code names the Doctor and Ember, are doing some work for me personally. Could you cut him a little slack?"

Gardner hesitated. "Er, Mister President, they did break in to Apollo 11."

Nixon glanced at the Doctor, who mouthed 'sorry', before facing the men again. "Well, I'm sure they had a very good reason for that. But I need you to release them now so they can get on with some very important work for the American people. Could you do that for me?"

"Well..."

"Son, I am your Commander in Chief."

"...Then I guess that would be fine, Mister President."

"Glad to hear it." Nixon smiled as the MP released Ember and the Doctor, who thanked them and bid goodbye. "Carry on, gentlemen."

Rory had been examining a model of the Eagle, only to accidentally break it. After a failed attempt to fix it, he put it down and clumsily saluted the MPs. "Ahem. America salutes you."

He sheepishly followed River out after the President, Ember and the Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor returned Nixon to Washington in the Tardis, evading having to explain what he was doing at Apollo and why, as well as insisting that the President recorded everything that happened in the room. He was just telling Nixon to trust him when River leaned out of the Tardis with a phone in hand.

"Doctor, it's Canton." She called. "Quick, he needs us."

The Doctor quickly ran in, with Ember and Rory already inside, and piloted the Tardis to follow the call. It didn't take them long to land in what was left of an orphanage and for the group to run out, following the sounds of Canton yelling upstairs.

"Amy, I'm going to try to blow the lock. I need you to stand back!" He called just as they found him at the door in the corridor.

"Okay, gun down." The Doctor said as he quickly cut in and began to sonic the door. "I've got it."

Rory was at the door as well. "Amy, we're here! Are you okay?"

"I can't see..." Amy's voice sounded scared.

Finally, the Doctor got the door open. As the rest of the group rushed in, Ember caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She glanced back, only to blink when she saw the little girl they'd been looking for, hiding in the shadows of the corridor.

Ember suddenly remembered. This was River, just before she escaped and would regenerate later. The Doctor and the others couldn't see her now: it was too early.

"Run!" She hissed at the girl, who looked surprised for a moment before taking off, quickly disappearing downstairs.

Ember waited a few more seconds before she turned to enter the child's room, revealing it to be the only room in the building that wasn't decrepit and falling apart. She immediately checked the ceiling, finding nothing, and then looked around. Canton was checking the room for any possible hiding places, River was beginning to look at the spacesuit that was lying empty on the floor, and Rory and the Doctor were looking at the recorder that Amy had been given before.

"Wherever she is right now, this is what she's saying." The Doctor was saying.

Rory was almost shaking as he stared at the recorder in his hand. "Amy, can you hear me? We're coming for you. Wherever you are, we're coming, I swear."

"She can't hear you. I'm so sorry. It's one way."

"She can always hear me, Doctor." Rory growled. "Always. Wherever she is, and she always knows that I am coming for her. Do you understand me? Always."

Ember closed her eyes. She knew that Amy had already been taken, way back in Washington, and that she'd 'disappeared' here because she was a Ganger that had been deactivated: that was why the recorder had remained. But she couldn't tell them, and it hurt.

_"Doctor, are you out there? Can you hear me? Doctor?"_ Amy sounded like she was crying. _"Oh, God. Please, please, Doctor, just get me out of this."_

Rory looked like he wanted to either cry or get angry, not taking his eyes off the Doctor as he spoke to the recorder again. "He's coming. I'll bring him, I swear."

"Rory," Ember waited for him to look at her. "I promise, she is fine. She will be fine. We'll get her back."

She could promise that they would get her back. She couldn't tell them when.

"Hello? Is somebody there?" A male voice drew them to look at the door, to find the man who used to run the orphanage - Renfrew - looking at them in confusion. "I think someone has been shot. I think we should help... We... I can't... I can't remember..."

Ember looked at the Doctor, her face neutral. "They have one of us. Now we have one of them. They won't care if they get theirs back, but we can use it to get ours."

Puzzled and intrigued, the Doctor turned and led the others back downstairs to Renfrew's office, where they were surprised to find a Silent on the floor, white blood seeping from a wound in its chest as it tried to crawl away from them. Ember stayed by the door as the others approached, the Doctor at the front kneeling down.

"Okay." He said. "Who and what are you?"

The alien looked at him for a long moment before it spoke in a raspy voice. "Silence, Doctor. We are the Silence. And Silence will fall."

* * *

Ember sat by an old television, watching the news coverage of Apollo's journey to the moon. After giving Canton instructions and dropping him, the President and the wounded Silent off at Area 51, the Doctor returned to the old warehouse with River, Rory, Ember and the empty spacesuit. Despite having a better plan than earlier, the Doctor and River wanted to examine the suit.

_"The target for the Apollo 11 astronauts, the Moon, at liftoff, will be at a distance of 218,096 miles away."_ The tv announced. _"We're just past the two minute mark in the countdown. T minus one minute fifty four seconds and counting."_

"It's an exoskeleton. Basically, life support." River said, running her tricorder over the spacesuit. "There's about twenty different kinds of alien tech in here."

"Who was she? Why put her in here?" The Doctor murmured, poking about on the inside of the suit.

"You put this on, you don't even need to eat. The suit processes sunlight directly. It's got built in weaponry, and a communications system that can hack into anything."

"Including the telephone network?"

"Easily."

"But why phone the President?"

"It defaults to the highest authority it can find. The little girl gets frightened, the most powerful man on Earth gets a phone call. The night terrors with a hotline to the White House." River replied, before seeing the Doctor pull out one of the blue invitations they'd gotten and lick it. "You won't learn anything from that envelope, you know."

"Purchased on earth. Perfectly ordinary stationery. Tardis blue." The Doctor summarised. "Summoned by a stranger who won't even show his face. That's a first, for me. How about you?"

River gave a knowing look. "Our lives are back to front. Your future's my past. Your firsts are my lasts."

"That's not really what I asked." The Doctor glanced at Ember, who didn't seem to be listening.

"Ask something else, then."

"What are the Silence doing, raising a child?"

"Keeping her safe, even giving her independence."

The Doctor paced around the room. "The only way to save Amy is to work out what the Silence are doing."

"I know." Rory said stiffly.

"And every single thing we learn about them brings us a step closer."

"Yeah, Doctor, I get it. I know."

"Of course, it's possible she's not just any little girl."

River glanced over. "Well, I'd say she's human, going by the life support software."

The Doctor noticed her hesitation. "But?"

"She climbed out of this suit. Like she forced her way out. She must be incredibly strong."

"Incredibly strong and running away. I like her." He glanced at Ember again. "Just like someone else I know."

"We should be trying to find her." River said, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, I know. But how? Anyway, I have the strangest feeling she's going to find us."

The tv continued in the background._ "Apollo 11, this is Houston. How do you read? Over."_

Rory looked over at the spacesuit. "Why does it look like a NASA spacesuit?"

"Because that's what the Silence do." The Doctor replied. "Think about it. They don't make anything themselves. They don't have to. They get other life forms to do it for them."

"So they're parasites, then." River said.

The Doctor corrected her. "Superparasites, standing in the shadows of human history since the very beginning. We know they can influence human behaviour any way they want. If they've been doing that on a global scale for thousands of years..."

"Then what?" Rory asked.

"Then why did the human race suddenly decide to go to the Moon?"

_"Ten, nine. Ignition sequence start. six, five, four..."_ The tv droned.

"Because the Silence needed a spacesuit."

_"One, zero. All engines running. Liftoff. We have a liftoff. Thirty two minutes past the hour, liftoff on Apollo 11."_

River's tricorder beeped, alerting them to a video file arriving. On the small screen, the injured Silent spoke. _"You should kill us all on sight."_

_"Help me, Doctor."_ Amy's voice came from her recorder, which Rory was still holding.

River noticed the glove of the suit twitch. "This suit, it seems to be repairing itself. How's it doing that? Doctor, a unit like this, would it ever be able to move without an occupant?"

"Why?"

"Well, the little girl said the spaceman was coming to eat her. Maybe that's exactly what happened."

Ember glanced over. "It was programmed to find her and make her get inside it."

_"I love you._" Amy's voice stopped any reply, and they all looked at the recorder. Rory's face fell as he moved to sit against some crates. _"I know you think it's him. I know you think it ought to be him, but it's not. It's you. And when I see you again, I'm going to tell you properly, just to see your stupid face. My life was so boring before you just dropped out of the sky. So just get your stupid face where I can see it, okay? Okay?"_

"She'll be safe for now." The Doctor tried to comfort Rory, moving to sit beside him. "No point in a dead hostage."

"Can't you save her?" The husband asked.

"I can track that signal back. Take us right to her."

Rory looked at him in surprise. "Then why haven't you?"

"Because then what? I find her and then what do I do? This isn't an alien invasion. They live here. This is their empire. This is kicking the Romans out of Rome."

"Rome fell."

"I know. I was there."

"So was I."

The Doctor hesitated. "Personal question."

"Seriously, you?"

"Do you ever remember it? Two thousand years, waiting for Amy? The last Centurion."

"No."

"You're lying."

Rory gave him a flat look. "Of course I'm lying."

"Of course you are. Not the sort of thing anyone forgets."

"But I don't remember it all the time. It's like this door in my head. I can keep it shut." Rory glanced at Ember before lowering his voice. "Has she been there yet?"

"No. There's no scar or mark. It's too early for her yet. But the day is coming where she'll find out who she is, or at least part of who she is. I can feel it, growing in her."

Before Rory could try to get him to elaborate, Amy continued speaking on the recorder._ "Please, please, just come and get me. Come and get me."_

"You know what?" Ember suddenly said, standing up. "Let's go."

Rory and River looked at her in confusion, while the Doctor smirked.

* * *

The Silent that was facing a bound Amy stepped closer. "Sleep..."

"No!" Amy cried, but then the room was filled with a familiar, hopeful sound: the Tardis materialising into existence.

The door opened and the Doctor stepped out, carrying the tv and looking around. "Oh, interesting. Very Aickman Road. I've seen one of these before. Abandoned. I wonder how that happened? Oh, well I suppose I'm about to find out. Rory, River, keep one Silent in eyeshot at all times." He moved to the front of the console. "Oh, hello. Sorry, you were in the middle of something. I just had to say, though, have you seen what's on the telly? Oh, hello, Amy. Are you all right? Want to watch some television?"

Ember stepped out of the Tardis and ran with River to be next to the Doctor. While she didn't have a weapon like River did, it seemed her presence was enough to make the Silents around her wary.

"Ah. Now, stay where you are." The Doctor by now had put the tv on the central console. "Because look at me, I'm confident. You want to watch that, me, when I'm confident. Then there's Ember, who you lot seem to not like very much. Oh, and this is my friend River. Nice hair, clever, has her own gun, and unlike me, she really doesn't mind shooting people. I shouldn't like that. Kind of do, a bit."

River smiled. "Thank you, sweetie."

"I know you're team players and everything, but she'll definitely kill at least the first three of you."

"Well, the first seven, easily."

The Doctor glanced over his shoulder at River, now standing back to back with her. "Seven? Really?"

"Oh, eight for you, honey." River flirted.

"Stop it."

"Make me."

"Yeah? Well, maybe I will."

"Get a room, you two." Ember called, not even bothering to look at them.

Amy was as annoyed as Ember was amused. "Is this really important flirting? Because I feel like I should be higher on the list right now."

"Yes. Right. Sorry. As I was saying, my naughty friend here is going to kill the first three of you to attack, plus him behind, so maybe you want to draw lots or have a quiz."

Amy looked at Rory as he snuck round and tried to undo her shackles. "What's he got?"

"Something, I hope." He replied.

"Or maybe you could just listen a minute." The Doctor continued, walking around the central console. "Because all I really want to do is accept your total surrender and then I'll let you go in peace. Yes, you've been interfering in human history for thousands of years. Yes, people have suffered and died, but what's the point in two hearts, if you can't be a bit forgiving, now and then?" He waited for a response, but received nothing. "Ooo, the Silence. You guys take that seriously, don't you? Okay, you got me. I'm lying. I'm not really going to let you go that easily. Nice thought, but it's not Christmas. First, you tell me about the girl. Who is she? Why is she important? What's she for?"

Ember moved slightly closer to the Silent that was between them and Amy, feeling a slight pang of satisfaction as it stepped back. "And while we're at it, how can I remember you, and why are you scared of me?" There was no answer, and for some reason that made her angry. "You'd better answer me or I'll give you something to be scared of!"

"Ember..." The Doctor began, noticing the flash of silver in her eyes for a split second, but then to the surprise of everyone, it was the Silent that interrupted.

"You are the Great Fire. The Flame Immortal." It rasped. "She who must not die."

Ember wanted to ask for more, but not only did the Doctor put a hand on her shoulder to stop her, but she heard the tv crackle to life. _"And we're getting a picture on the TV."_ She looked at the Doctor and nodded, stepping back so that she was now behind River.

"Guys, sorry, but you're way out of time. Now, come on. A bit of history for you." The Doctor said, turning to the tv and extending its aerials before leaning on it. "Aren't you proud? Because you helped. Now, do you know how many people are watching this live on the telly? Half a billion. And that's nothing, because the human race will spread out among the stars. You just watch them fly. Billions and billions of them, for billions and billions of years, and every single one of them at some point in their lives, will look back at this man, taking that very first step, and they will never, ever forget it." He paused as the tv announced the final descent of Apollo, and then he pulled out his communicator. "Oh. But don't forget this bit. Ready?"

_"That's one small step for man-"_ Armstrong, who was descending the ladder from the shuttle to step onto the moon, was suddenly replaced by an image of the injured Silent as it said a crucial line over and over.

_"You should kill us all on sight. You should kill us all on sight. You should kill us all on sight. You should kill us all on sight."_

The Doctor looked triumphant. "You've given the order for your own execution, and the whole planet just heard you."

_"You should kill us all on sight."_ The image went back to Armstrong as he finished his famous line. _"One giant leap for mankind."_

"And one whacking great kick up the backside for the Silence!" The Doctor declared. "You just raised an army against yourself and now, for a thousand generations, you're going to be ordering them to destroy you every day! How fast can you run? Because today's the day the human race throw you off their planet." The Silent moved closer to him as he spoke, backing him up against the console while sparks of electricity began to build up. "They won't even know they're doing it. I think, quite possibly, the word you're looking for right now is oops. Run! Guys, I mean us. Run!"

River started shooting as soon as the Doctor ducked, drawing the attention of the Silence as they tried to attack. Ember ran over to help Rory with Amy's restraints.

"I can't get her out!" He called over the noise.

"Go. Go!" Amy yelled.

"We are not leaving without you."

"Look, will you just get your stupid face out of here!" Amy's demand made him look at her in shock.

River ducked an attack and fired back at the Silence. "Run! Into the Tardis, quickly."

The Doctor ran over and soniced the restraints, allowing Rory and Ember to help Amy get to the Tardis as he ran to back up River. "Don't let them build to full power."

"I know! There's a reason why I'm shooting, honey!" River felt him at her back waving his Sonic around. "What are you doing?!"

"Helping!"

"You've got a screwdriver. Go build a cabinet!"

"That's really rude!"

"Shut up and drive!"

The Doctor ran into the Tardis, getting ready to go. It was only a few seconds later and after Rory had gone back for River that they were all inside and leaving.

"You can let me fly it!" The Doctor called to River, who rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, or we could go where we're supposed to!"

Amy noticed Rory staring at her. "What's the matter with you?"

"You called me stupid."

"I always call you stupid."

"No, but my face." He held out the recorder he still hadn't let go of. "I wasn't sure who you were talking about. You know, me or..."

"Him?"

"Well, you did say dropped out of the sky..."

"It's a figure of speech, moron." Amy said, leaning in to kiss him.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Ember smiled from where she was watching on the far side of the console room. But then she frowned at the answer the Silent had given her. The Shakri has called her 'The Fire' right at the beginning of all this, but she'd forgotten about it until now.

The Great Fire? Flame Immortal? She who must not die? What did it mean?

* * *

They were back in the Oval Office, letting Canton and the President know that everything was ok.

Nixon chuckled as he shook hands with the Doctor. "So we're safe again."

"Safe? No, of course you're not safe." The Doctor said, oblivious to the worry he was going to cause. "There's about a billion other things out there just waiting to burn your whole world. But, if you want to pretend you're safe, just so you can sleep at night? Okay, you're safe. But you're not really. Canton. Until the next one, eh?"

Canton nodded with a smile as they shook hands. "Looking forward to it."

The Doctor looked at Nixon again. "Canton just wants to get married. Hell of a reason to kick him out of the FBI."

"I'm sure something can be arranged."

"I'm counting on you."

"Er, Doctor..." Nixon stopped him before he could get into the Tardis. "Canton here tells me you're, you're from the future. It hardly seems possible, but I was wondering..."

"I should warn you I don't answer a lot of questions."

"But I'm a President at the beginning of his time. Dare I ask. Will I be remembered?"

The Doctor gave a knowing smile. "Oh, Dicky. Tricky Dicky. They're never going to forget you. Say hi to David Frost for me."

Nixon blinked. "David Frost?"

But the Doctor was already gone, the Tardis wheezing as it faded away.

* * *

Now they were at Stormcage, and Ember was standing next to the Doctor as they both stood outside River's cell.

"You could come with us." The Doctor offered.

River shook her head. "I escape often enough, thank you. And I have a promise to live up to. You'll understand soon enough."

"Okay. Up to you. See you next time. Call me."

"What, that's it?" River asked as the Doctor turned to leave, making him turn back. "What's the matter with you?"

"Have I forgotten something?"

"Oh, shut up." She pulled him in and snogged him, then pulled away. "Ember, come here."

To Ember's shock, River grabbed her by the lapel of her jacket and brought her in close, kissing her soundly on the lips. A moment later, the brunette pulled away violently and stepped back, muttering an apology before she turned and walked quickly back to the Tardis.

"Right. Okay. Interesting." The Doctor said, though he had a frown on his face.

River looked surprised and guilty at the same time. "I forgot this is her first time seeing me."

The Doctor looked her over for a moment. "River... when I met you for the first time, in your future, you told me something that proved I could trust you. Ember hasn't been there yet, so she thinks you said my name."

"Oh," River shook her head. "That girl and her show again. She still hasn't figured it out."

"It's still early for her. You said it in the diner: 'judging by your face.' So you know where she got the scar, so you should have known that. Why did you kiss her?"

"You're acting like we've never done that before."

"_We_ haven't."

River's face fell. "We haven't?"

"Oh, look at the time. Must be off. But it was very nice. It was, it was good. It was er... unexpected. You know what they say. There's a first time for everything."

River could only watch with sad eyes as the Doctor beat a hasty retreat back to the Tardis. "And a last time."

The Doctor stepped into the Tardis and closed the door, leaning his forehead against it for a moment before he registered panicked breathing and turned around, his eyes widening at the sight of Ember on her knees, struggling to breathe while Rory was trying to help her and Amy stood back helplessly.

"What happened?" The Doctor asked, quickly running up the ramp. "What's wrong?"

Rory was holding Ember's wrist, checking her pulse. "I should ask you that. She came in all flustered and then collapsed. Her pulse is going wild."

The Doctor pulled a stethoscope out of his pocket and put it in his ears, warming the other end before pressing it against the panting woman's chest. "Did she say anything?"

"Yea, said her chest hurt."

"Doctor," Amy called. "She said something about heartburn earlier."

"Heartburn...?" The Doctor suddenly stilled, then grinned. "It's not heartburn. And that's not a normal pulse."

Rory was confused as to why the Doctor was smiling now of all times. "Then... What is it?"

The Doctor didn't answer him right away, instead he reached up and pulled Ember's head forward so their foreheads touched. "Ember, listen to me, you're fine. How long have you been having the heartburn?"

Ember was gasping, but she managed to get out a few words. "Last few... jumps..."

"It's not heartburn, Ember. That's your second heart. It's been trying to start up. You need to let it."

"H... how?"

"Just breathe with me. In, and out. Nice and slow." The Doctor exaggerated his breathing so she could follow. "In... and out... that's it..."

Ember was slowly getting her breathing back under control, but then gasped as the burning flared up again, indicating that she was about to jump. "Doc..."

"I know. And I know where you're going. You'll be fine. I'll take care of you..."

Then she jumped.

* * *

Back in Stormcage, River turned away as the Tardis disappeared. She wiped her face to clear it of any stray tears as she sat on her bed, only to look up when she heard footsteps from the corridor outside her cell.

For a moment there was nothing, but then a figure stepped out of the shadows. Clad in a red cloak that hid any features to identify the wearer, the figure stopped a few feet away from River's cell, well out of striking range.

"Hello again, Doctor Song." The figure, male, spoke.

River stood and walked to the now closed door of her cell. "Haven't seen you for a while. To what do I owe this visit?"

The male chuckled. "Right to the point, as always. I believe you've just met Ember, for the first time to her."

"Yes, and it didn't end like I'd hoped." River sighed. "Now I get why she's so jumpy around me in her future. You could have warned me about that."

"Like I could have warned you about the Silence, or your parents?" The male shook his covered head. "You know I cannot directly intervene."

River leaned her head against the bars, giving the cloaked man a glare. It was difficult to tell how much real heat was behind it, though. "Yet you're still hanging around behind the scenes. What exactly are you here for, anyway? Other than stalking Ember."

"What you call 'stalking' is simply me observing her, watching her grow into what she was destined to become. You of all people should understand what influence can do to a young mind; the Ember you've just met is only a fledgling by mental standards. She is barely scratching the surface of herself, and her next few encounters are going to bring about her true beginning."

River's eyes widened. "You mean...?"

"Yes. The locks will soon break. As she grows stronger, she will need her friends, especially the Doctor. The Phoenix will rise, Doctor Song. And without her friends... all worlds will burn."

"Can't we stop it?" River asked, sounding unsettled. "If we can stop the Phoenix from waking, we can-"

The male shook his head. "Did you not tell Amy that she could not prevent the future death of the Doctor? You know that she cannot be stopped by something as simple as timelines. And only one person can tame the Phoenix. That is my purpose; to ensure that Ember does not lose herself in the flames of her own soul. You heard what the Silence called her: She who must not die. That isn't something to be taken lightly."

River sighed, but nodded. "So what's happening now? She almost lost her temper back there."

"Right now, she is confused and afraid. Don't forget; before all of this, she believed her world was real. She thinks of herself as a normal person who happens to have foreknowledge. She is vulnerable, and if she does not stand, she will fall. What you have witnessed so far is only a fraction of her true power. Time is in flux, and only time will reveal your fates."

"In other words, all I can do is wait. Again."

The cloaked male turned away, stepping back into the shadows. "We all hold our breath, and hope that when she looks into the abyss, she will be strong enough to withstand what looks into her."

River didn't bother to look up, knowing that she was now alone once again. She moved back to sit on her bed.

"Stay strong, Ember," She murmured. "I know you can do it."

* * *

Ok, here's the end of another two-parter! Hope you like it! I added the extra scene with River and our hooded stranger on an impulse. I hope it wasn't too much.

Next Time: Ember faces the Ood.


	9. Chapter Nine: Planet of the Ood

Here we go! Sorry for the delay!

* * *

Ember fell into the grating of a rocking Tardis, which thankfully stilled shortly after. She tried to call out, but the now uncomfortable feeling in her chest made her cough loudly instead, though it still gained attention.

"Ember?!" The Tenth Doctor was soon at her side, helping her to her knees as he rubbed her back. "What's wrong?"

"Heart..." She gasped. "Kicking in..."

The Doctor pulled out his stethoscope, the same one he'd use in the future, and put it in his ears before putting the other end against Ember's chest to check for himself.

"Is she alright?" Donna's voice reached Ember's ears. "Doctor, is she alright?"

"Yea, it's just her second heart kicking in," the Doctor explained quickly, pulling the stethoscope away and then drawing the gasping brunette into his arms. "Just breathe, Ember, that's it..."

Ember gulped in air for several moments until she could finally calm her breathing. The ache in her chest had flared up after River had snogged her, but now it had dulled enough for her to breathe around. What she had thought was heartburn, she now knew was her second heart trying to start, and it felt like using a muscle that hadn't been used in a long time.

The Doctor pulled back just enough to look at her, his big brown eyes full of concern. "Are you alright? Something must have triggered it: something stressful or physically demanding or..."

"Doctor," Ember gently cut in, pulling back to look up at him. "I'm fine. It's something in the future, so I can't tell you. Spoilers."

Donna moved to kneel in front of them. "Are you sure you're ok? We can leave going somewhere til later..."

Ember nodded. "I'm ok."

As she stood, Donna looked over her head at the Doctor, gesturing to her face with a curious glint in her eye. The Doctor shook his head, mouthing 'not now' before Ember could see the exchange.

"Well, if you're up for it, I set the controls to random. Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide... Are you all right?" The Doctor directed the last bit at Donna, who was now looking at the door with wide eyes.

"Terrified." Donna admitted. "I mean, history's one thing but an alien planet?"

"I could always take you home."

Donna gave him a flat look. "Yeah, don't laugh at me."

"I know what it's like. Everything you're feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? I get that."

"Seriously? After all this time?"

"Yeah. Why do you think I keep going?"

"I thought it was 'cuz of Ember."

The brunette looked up at the sound of her name. "Huh?"

Donna shook her head. "Oh, all right then, you and me both. This is barmy. I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever had package holidays. Now I'm here. This is so... I mean it's... I don't know, it's all sort of... I don't even know what the word is..."

She turned and ran to the doors, Ember and the Doctor right behind her, only to stop when the door opened and frigidly cold air blew in their faces.

"Oh, I've got the word." Donna got out. "Freezing."

The Doctor grinned like a child at Christmas. "Snow! Oh, real snow! Proper snow at last. That's more like it. Lovely! What do you think?"

"Bit cold."

The Doctor noticed Ember shiver and threw an arm around her, tucking her into his side and covering her with his long coat as he took a few steps forward. "Look at that view."

Ember couldn't help a small smile. There was snow as far as the eye could see, and massive icicles hanging from bridges of rock over vast ravines. Seeing it with her own eyes made it look so much more mystical than on tv.

"Yep." Donna muttered. "Beautiful, cold view."

"Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we're on this one. Molto bene!" The Doctor continued, oblivious as the redhead ducked back into the Tardis. Ember smiled up at him, letting him ramble. "Bellissimo, says Donna, born in Chiswick. All you've got is a life of work and sleep, and telly and rent and tax and takeaway dinners, all birthdays and Christmases and two weeks holiday a year, and then you end up here. Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that, Donna?"

When he got no response, he turned around, realising that their human companion was gone. "Donna?"

Donna stepped out of the Tardis in a big fur coat with a hood, holding another one for Ember. "Sorry, you were saying?"

The Doctor looked amused as he reluctantly let Ember go so she could put on the coat. "Better?"

"Lovely, thanks."

"Comfy?"

"Yep."

"Can you hear anything inside that?"

Donna glanced at him. "Pardon?"

"All right," the Doctor shook his head. "I was saying, citizen of the Earth-"

His repeated speech was cut off by a huge rocket soaring over their heads. The three travelers watched it in interest.

"Rocket..." Donna breathed. "Blimey, a real proper rocket. Now that's what I call a spaceship. You've got a box, he's got a Ferrari. Come on, lets go see where he's going."

As she took off, the Doctor pouted at the comment about his ship. Ember moved to his side and, after a brief hesitation, grabbed his hand to get his attention.

"If it makes you feel better, I like your 'sports car' better." She said. "Never liked big ships, or space hoppers."

The kicked puppy look disappeared instantly as the Doctor grinned at her, taking her hand more securely in his as he led her to follow Donna. "Have you met Jack yet?"

Ember shook her head. "No. I was in Downing Street in the trip before last. Hang on, he doesn't flirt with me, does he?"

"Not for long," the Doctor replied flippantly, though Ember wasn't sure if she was just imagining the momentary flare of protectiveness. "We both set him straight quite quickly."

Ember didn't bother to pry, allowing the Doctor to help her trudge through the snow to catch up with Donna.

It wasn't long into their trek to follow the rocket's path that Ember and the Doctor stopped. They could both hear what sounded like delicate music over the wind and snow.

"Hold on, can you hear that?" The Doctor looked at Ember as she nodded before looking at the redhead with them. "Donna, take your hood down."

"What?" Donna asked as she complied.

"That noise is like a song..."

"It is a song." Ember couldn't believe what she was hearing. The music heard on the show was sad enough, but it didn't hold a candle to what it was like to hear the real thing. It felt like it was reaching into her chest and grabbing her heart (hearts now?) only to twist it.

"Over there!" The Doctor's voice barely reached her as he pulled her hand and ran, Donna following, until they reached the source: a bald-headed alien with tentacles where the mouth and nose should be, lying partly buried in the snow.

Donna faltered at the sight. "What is it?"

The Doctor ran to its side and knelt, rummaging through his pockets for his stethoscope. "An Ood. He's called an Ood."

"But it's face..."

"Donna, don't. Not now. It's a he, not an it. Give me a hand."

"Sorry." Donna moved to the other side, Ember following numbly. The song in her head was haunting, making every lonely feeling she'd ever felt come rushing up, and even then it didn't feel like enough.

"I don't know where the heart is." The Doctor rambled. "I don't know if he's got a heart. Talk to him, keep him going."

Donna reached out and held the Ood's hand. "It's all right, we've got you. Er, what's your name?"

The other hand held a white ball that lit up as the alien spoke. "Designated Ood... Delta 50."

Donna gently took the ball and spoke into it. "My name's Donna."

"No. No, no, no. You don't need to." The Doctor corrected her.

Donna lowered the ball back to the hand, which grasped it weakly. "Sorry. Oh, God. This is the Doctor. Just what you need, a doctor. Couldn't be better, hey?"

"You've been shot!" The Doctor exclaimed, finding the bullet wound.

Ember tried to wipe her eyes discreetly, but the move was caught by the Ood, who surprised her by speaking. "You... you are the Fire..."

"What?" The brunette said, caught off guard even more so when the song in her head receded slightly, as though to ease her of the burden. "What did you call me?"

"The Great Fire..." The Ood gasped, somehow sounding happy even as he was dying. He let go of the ball and reached out with a shaking hand to hold hers. "You have arrived... just as you promised..."

Ember blinked, confused. When did she promise that? Then it hit her; the only time before this adventure that the Doctor had met the Ood. She wanted to ask more, but she didn't want to upset the dying Ood by revealing that she hadn't met them yet. "Yea, I'm here... I promised, didn't I? It's ok..."

"You are here... to break the circle..." The Ood flinched, gasping again in pain. "The circle..."

"No, don't try to talk." Donna tried to soothe, but the Ood was adament.

"The circle must be broken..."

"Circle? What do you mean?" The Doctor, sensing the urgency, tried to coax more answers out. "Delta 50, what circle? Delta 50? What circle?"

Suddenly the Ood sat up, snarling as his eyes glowed red. The Doctor yanked Ember and Donna away as he sprang to his feet, but then the Ood let out a breath and fell back down, now hauntingly still. Ember could no longer hear the song, meaning that the Ood was now dead.

"He's gone." Donna murmured, coming to the same conclusion as she moved back to alien's side.

"Careful." The Doctor warned

Donna ignored him, moving the Ood's hands to rest on his chest. "There you are, sweetheart." She sighed as she got back to her feet. "We were too late. What do we do, do we bury him?"

"The snow'll take care of that."

"Who was he? What's an Ood?"

The Doctor took a breath. "They're servants of humans in the forty second century. Mildly telepathic. That was the song. It was his mind calling out."

"I couldn't hear anything." Donna admitted, slightly put out. "He sang as he was dying."

"His eyes turned red."

"What's that mean?"

"Trouble. Come on." The Doctor gently took Ember's hand and began to lead them away from the corpse.

Ember bit her lip. "Doctor... he said I made a promise."

"That's not important right now-"

"It was to him!" Ember stopped walking, making a mild attempt to pull her hand free that was easily thwarted by the Doctor's firm grip. He turned to look at her as she continued. "He was cold and in pain and dying, but he looked at me like I was his salvation. He was happy that I'm here to keep a promise I haven't made yet. So I need to know what that promise is so that I can keep it because you know I don't make promises I can't keep! Screw the spoilers, screw the foreknowledge and screw you if you don't tell me right now!"

By the end of it she was shouting, and later on she'd probably feel bad for it. But right now she was cold, confused and just a bit emotional from the stress of the last few days. She wanted an answer, just one straight answer for once, or she was going to crack.

Donna was looking at her with wide eyes while the Doctor's face was blank. They had both seen her eyes turn silver for several seconds while she'd been shouting, and the Doctor waited a few moments before he tugged on the hand he was still holding and pulled the young women close, feeling her stiffen and then sniffle.

"I'm sorry," he murmured to her. "I don't know exactly what or when you promised them. I wasn't there. I asked you, but you told me that next time we met them, you'd be able to keep your promise."

Ember shifted slightly so she could rub her eyes with her free hand, now feeling silly for snapping at him. "He said I was here to break the circle..."

"I'm guessing you can't tell me what that means?" The Doctor asked, getting a head shake in return. "It's fine. Come on. Let's go keep that promise, together."

Nodding, Ember moved out of his embrace and gave Donna a shaky smile when the redhead put her hand on her shoulder. "You'd better tell Donna more about the Ood, by the way."

The Doctor made sure the brunette was alright before he did as requested. "The Ood are harmless. They're completely benign. Except, the last time we met them, there was this force, like a stronger mind, powerful enough to take them over."

"What sort of force?" Donna asked.

"Oh, long story."

"Long walk."

"It was the Devil."

Donna frowned. "If you're going to take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up."

"No, he's not joking." Ember backed him up. "Think of it like this; every myth or fairytale has a stem of truth to it. The Loch Ness Monster was said to be a dinosaur, people in ancient times believed in gods and demons because of things that logic couldn't explain. Every religion has their own version of gods and devils, and we found something that might have put that idea out there. Something that for all intents and purposes was the Devil in a tangible form."

"But Ember and I dealt with that." The Doctor continued. "Must be something different this time, though. Something closer to home."

"Closer than you think," Ember moved to trudge ahead of them, towards a small hill. The Doctor made to follow, but Donna stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"She hasn't met this 'devil' yet, has she?" She asked.

The Doctor shook his head. "No. And I'm dreading the day she does." They moved to catch up with Ember at the top, finding themselves looking down at a factory of some sort. "Ah ha! Civilisation."

"Kind of." Ember muttered as they took off toward the main gates. It was unclear if she'd been heard.

It took a few minutes to persuade the guards to let them in at the main gates, but the Doctor's psychic paper let them through. They caught up with a group of business people as a young, dark-skinned woman was about to begin as their guide.

"My name's Solana, Head of Marketing." She was saying. "I'm sure we've all spoken on the vidfone. Now, if you'd like to follow me."

The Doctor pulled Ember and Donna with him to the group, gaining everyone's attention. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Late. Don't mind us. Hello. The guards let us through."

Solans eyed them warily. "And you would be?"

"The Doctor and Donna Noble, and Miss Ember."

"Representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic." Donna added on smoothly.

"Must have fallen off my list. My apologies. Won't happen again." Solana put on a plastic smile. "Now then, Miss Ember, Doctor Noble, Mrs Noble, if you'd like to come with me..."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "Oh, no, no, no, no. We're not married."

"We're so not married." Donna said. Ember shook her head.

"Never."

"Never ever."

Solans looked at them in puzzlement, but then nodded. "Of course. And here are your information packs, vouchers inside. Now if you'd like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm."

An alarm suddenly blared out, echoing throughout the area. The Doctor looked around. "Oh, what's that? That sounds like an alarm."

"Oh, it's just a siren for the end of the work shift." Solana tried to cover, holding a door open. "Now then, this way, quick as you can."

The Doctor glanced at Ember, who shook her head discreetly, before they followed the tour into the building.

After being taken to an obviously prepared presentation area, in which three Ood stood on platforms in the centre while others wandered around with trays of nibbles and glasses of wine, Ember, Donna and the Doctor kept to one side and waited until Solana called attention to the front where a large screen was on the wall.

"As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve, and we keep them in facilities of the highest standard." She was saying. "Here at the Double O, that's Ood Operations, we like to think of the Ood as our trusted friends. We keep the Ood healthy, safe, and educated. We don't just breed the Ood. We make them better. Because at heart, what is an Ood, but a reflection of us? If your Ood is happy, then you'll be happy, too."

Ember closed her eyes, knowing that as the woman spoke, an Ood was being hunted and cornered like an animal, snarling at its aggressors.

Solana moved closer to the three Ood on platforms. "I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations. We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the standard setting." She faced the first one. "How are you today, Ood?"

"I'm perfectly well, thank you." It replied in a normal, male voice.

"Or perhaps after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen." Solana moved to the second one. "And how are you, Ood?"

This one replied in a sultry, female voice. It made Ember cringe. "All the better for seeing you."

Solana moved to the third Ood. "And the comedy classic option. Ood, you dropped something."

"D'oh." It said in a Homer Simpson voice, making almost everyone in the room chuckle.

"All that for only five additional credits. The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so don't hold back." Solana left them to it, allowing the people to mingle and chat to each other. The Doctor put on his glasses as he made his way to Solana's lectern and used its computer access to light up the big screen.

"Ah, got it. The Ood Sphere, I've been to this solar system before." He said, bringing up a scale of said system. "Years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let's widen out." He did so. "The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."

"4126?" Donna repeated, almost breathless. "It's 4126. I'm in 4126."

"It's good, isn't it?"

"What's the Earth like now?"

The Doctor shrugged, gesturing to the screen. "Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies."

"It's weird. I mean, it's brilliant, but... Back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live. Global warming, flooding, all the bees disappearing."

"Yeah. That thing about the bees is odd."

"Keep that in mind. It might be important later." Ember said distractedly as she looked at the screen, making the other two wonder if she'd meant to say it out loud.

"But look at us. We're everywhere." Donna said. "Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?"

"Sometimes I wonder." The Doctor admitted, remembering the good and bad that humans were capable of.

Donna noticed something on the screen. "What are the red dots?"

"Ood distribution centres."

"Across three galaxies? Don't the Ood get a say in this?" She didn't give them the chance to answer, turning and approaching the nearest Ood, who was one of the ones standing on a pedestal. "Er, sorry, but... Hello. Tell me, are you all like this?"

The Ood lifted its white orb to reply, tilting its head to the side. "I do not understand, Miss."

"Why do you say Miss?" Donna asked as Ember and the Doctor joined her. "Do I look single?"

"Back to the point." The Doctor murmured.

"Yeah. What I mean is, are there any free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere, like wildebeest."

"All Ood are born to serve. Otherwise, we would die." The Ood replied calmly.

"But you can't have started like that." Donna reasoned, not catching the Ood twitch as it saw Ember. "Before the humans, what were you like?"

Instead of answering, the Ood twitched again before muttering "The circle..."

"What do you mean?" The Doctor cut in, moving closer. "What circle?"

"The circle. The circle is-"

"Ladies and gentlemen." Ember almost jumped at Solana's voice as she returned to the room. "All Ood to hospitality stations, please."

The Doctor removes his glasses as the Ood stopped twitching and went on its way. "I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you fancy going off the beaten track?" He pulled out a map from their information pack.

"Rough guide to the Ood Sphere?" Donna nodded. "Works for me."

The Doctor grinned as he snuck out with the two ladies, finding their way to a catwalk with the use of his Sonic on any doors or gates they came across.

_"Ood shift eight now commencing."_ A tannoy sounded around them._ "Repeat. Ood shift eight now commencing."_

The Doctor, Ember and Donna watchd as Ood we're marched through in double file on ground level. One at the back suddenly fell to its knees.

"Get up." A man in a security guard outfit barked, cracking a whip when the fallen Ood didn't comply right away. "I said get up!"

"Servants?" Donna whispered, appalled. "They're slaves."

"Get up! March!"

The Doctor felt his hearts pang with guilt as they watched the Ood get up and obey. "Last time I met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked..."

"That's not like you." Donna said. If anyone asked questions, it was the Doctor.

"I was busy. So busy I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die. I reckon I owe them one."

Ember nodded. "Me too. And I made them a promise."

Donna spotted a balding man in a sharp suit walk by with an Ood of his own, looking annoyed as he was flanked by two guards and a scientist. "That looks like the boss."

"Let's keep out of his way. Come on." The Doctor led them to the other side of the catwalk and away from the scene. He and Ember had been distracted and didn't notice Donna had stopped until she put two fingers into her mouth and whistled, making them turn back to run up to her and the door beside her.

"Where'd you learn to whistle?" The Doctor asked.

"West Ham, every Saturday."

The Doctor grinned as he unlocked the door with his Sonic and led them inside. It looked like a warehouse or cargo hold, shipping containers as far as the eye could see. A giant crane was working to lift the containers and move them where needed.

"Ood export." The Doctor mused, pointing at the crane. "You see? Lifts up the containers, takes them to the rocket sheds, ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies."

Donna blinked, realisation dawning on her face. "What, you mean, these containers are full of...?"

The Doctor approached the nearest container. "What do you think?" He pulled open the huge door, revealing dozens of Ood inside, just standing there like it wasn't a bother at all for them to be in a container.

"Oh, it stinks." Donna wrinkled her nose. "How many of them do you think there are in each one?"

"Hundred? More?"

"A great big empire built on slavery..."

"It's not so different from your time."

Donna looked at him. "Oi. I haven't got slaves."

"Who do you think made your clothes?" The Doctor shot back, not quite understanding. Ember slapped him on the arm.

"Most humans don't support slavery by her time." She admonished. "Or know when one is in play."

"Is that why you travel round with a human at your side?" Donna added. "It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheap shots?"

The Doctor had the good grace to look ashamed. "Sorry..."

"Don't, Spaceman." She shook her head, turning her attention to the Ood, who hadn't even moved. "I don't understand, the door is open, why don't you just run away?"

One of the ones at the front held up his ball. "For what reason?"

"You could be free."

"I do not understand the concept." The Ood generally seemed like the idea of freedom was foreign

"What is it with that Persil ball?" Donna pointed out. " I mean, they're not born with it, are they? Why do they have to be all plugged in?"

The Doctor straightened. "Ood, tell me. Does the circle mean anything to you?"

To their surprise, all of the Ood spoke at once. "The circle must be broken."

"Oh, that is creepy." Donna breathed.

"But what is it?" The Doctor asked. "What is the circle?"

"The circle must be broken." The Ood said together.

"Why?"

"So that we can sing."

Suddenly an alarm sound around the warehouse.

"Oh, that's us. Come on." The Doctor grabbed Ember by the hand and pulled her with him as they took off. While weaving between the giant containers, the two of them list Donna in the confusion. "Where've you gone?"

"Stay where you are!" A guard yelled, making them run again. It wasn't long before they were seemingly left alone. The Doctor grinned at Ember, only to falter when he saw her looking up with wide eyes. Above them, the giant crane was being moved to follow them. The two ran again, but the crane was more often than not on their tail. It kept coming down, missing them by inches.

It suddenly swung down, knocking the Doctor off his feet.

"No!" Ember cried, about to run back for him, but then the claw came down again, sending her flying against a container. The Doctor was about to get up to help her when the claw stopped above him and then plummeted. He closed his eyes, waiting for the final blow, only to look a moment later to find the claw had stopped inches before it hit him.

Before he could act, several guards appeared and pulled him to his feet, doing the same to Ember, who looked a little worse for wear from her tumble. "Ember, are you hurt? Ember!"

Ember shook her head, fighting off the headache from where she was sure she'd hit the container with her own skull. "Yea. I'm good."

The guards, along with Solana, escorted the two back to where they'd been looking at the containers, the one they'd opened now shut with the voice of an angry redhead inside. "Doctor, get me out of here!"

"If you don't do what she says, you're really in trouble." The Doctor advised, then quickly added "Not from me, from her."

The guard who seemed to be in charge, coincidentally the same one they'd seen whipping the Ood earlier, turned to one of his men. "Unlock the container."

"Get ready to run," Ember murmured loud enough for the Doctor to hear, making him raise a brow, but before he could reply the container was opened and Donna came running out.

"Doctor!" She cried, nearly crashing into the man.

"There we go," He soothed, "safe and sound."

"Never mind about me. What about them?" Donna pointed at the Ood who had been in the container with her. All of them had red eyes now and they swiftly killed the nearest guards with the balls they had.

"Red alert. Fire!" The guard leader commanded as other containers opened, revealing more red-eyed Ood ready to kill. "Shoot to kill!"

The Doctor took advantage of the chaos, grabbing Ember and Donna and running off, through a door leading outside and around a corner. It was then that they realised that Solana had followed them.

"If people back on Earth knew what was going on here..." Donna began.

"Oh, don't be so stupid." The woman replied. "Of course they know."

"They know how you treat the Ood?"

"They don't ask. Same thing."

"No it's not!" Ember retorted, though the Doctor stepped in before she could continue.

"Solana, the Ood aren't born like this. They can't be. A species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?"

"That's nothing to do with me." Solana replied.

"Oh, what, because you don't ask?"

Solana rolled her eyes at the Doctor's sass. "That's Doctor Ryder's territory."

"Where's he? What part of the complex?" The Doctor pulled out the map and held it out to her. "I could help with the red eye. Now show me."

Solana hesitated, but when she saw he was sincere, she pointed to a spot on the map. "There. Beyond the red section."

Nodding, the Doctor gave her a chance. If she was willing to help, it would make things easier. "Come with me. You've seen the warehouse. You can't agree with all this. You know this place better than me. You could help."

"Think carefully before you decide," Ember said, making the woman look at her and pause, finding something in those silver/grey eyes that seemed to reach deep into her. "You're at a crossroads. Don't take the wrong path."

There was a long pause, and the Solana straightened. "I can't. I've pointed the way, and I'll give you a head start. It's up to you now."

Before they could stop her, she turned and ran back the way they'd come. Ember sighed, defeated, but then she looked in surprise when she heard Solana yelling for the guards to go in a different direction to where they were.

"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked as he began to lead them away from the chaos.

"She was going to call them after us," Ember murmured, surprised at the change. "She wasn't going to help..."

The Doctor took her hand and smiled as she met his gaze. "There's power in words. You taught me that."

Ember blushed, looking away.

"This way." The Doctor led them to a door, wincing as he and Ember began to hear a familiar, haunting song. "Oh, can you hear it? I didn't need the map. I should have listened."

The two of them followed the song to another door, Donna right behind them, and the Doctor opened it with his Sonic.

"Hold on." The redhead said as the Doctor closed the door and broke the lock behind them. "Does that mean we're locked in?"

"Listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen." The Doctor winced along with Ember as the music seemingly grew in volume. "Oh, my head..."

"What is it?"

"Can't you hear it? The singing?"

They made their way through what looked more like a dungeon than warehouse, to what looked like cages, and to their surprise (not Ember's), they found several Ood huddled in them, backing away to the corners as the travellers turned the lights on and approached.

"They look different to the others." Donna pointed out.

"That's because they're natural born Ood, unprocessed, before they're adapted to slavery." The Doctor knelt in front of the cage, an ancient sadness in his eyes as he saw how scared the occupants were. "Unspoilt. That's their song."

Donna shook her head. "I can't hear it..."

The Doctor looked at her. "Do you want to?"

A long moment's hesitation. "Yeah."

"It's the song of captivity."

"Let me hear it."

"Face me." The Doctor put his fingers on her temples, using the rarely used 'mind meld' to connect her to the telepathic field. "Open your mind. That's it. Hear it, Donna. Hear the music."

Ember reached out and took Donna's hand as the redhead finally heard the haunting song.

Tears fell from Donna's eyes as she caved. "Take it away."

"Sure?" The Doctor asked.

"I can't bear it." Donna shook her head as the Doctor made the same gesture to remove the connection. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"But you can still hear it." Donna squeezed Ember's hand. "Both of you."

The Doctor nodded. "All the time."

They stayed there for several minutes, kneeling in front of the cage and watching the unprocessed Ood in sorrow. Then the Doctor stood and used his Sonic on the cage door. Ember and Donna jumped as they heard a crash from the door to the outside.

"They're breaking in!" Donna whispered.

"Ah, let them." The Doctor muttered as he moved to squat in front of the Ood, who were huddling away from them in the far corner. "What are you holding?"

The Ood that was nearest tentively looked at them as the Doctor continued to coax. "Show me. Friend. Doctor, Donna. Ember. Friend. Let me see. Look at me. Let me see. That's it. That's it, go on. Go on."

The Ood huddled with its brethren again, terrified.

Ember scooted forward, clearing her throat. "Hi there. I'm Ember. Um... maybe you've heard of the Fire? That me, I'm here."

To her surprise, the Ood all looked at her at the word 'Fire'. The one at the front slowly came forward, hesitant but curious.

"It's okay..." Ember coaxed, holding out her hands. "We're friends. We won't hurt you. I promise."

The Doctor and Donna watched quietly as the Ood shuffled forward some more, moving its cupped hands to rest in Ember's before slowly lifting the one on top. Ember almost cried at the sight of the small, pink brain that rested in its palm, a fleshy tube or tendril connecting it to the Ood.

Donna blinked. "Is that...?"

"It's a brain. A hind brain." The Doctor said. "The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna any more. You'd be... like an Ood. A processed Ood."

"So the company cuts off their brains?"

"And they stitch on the translator."

"Like a lobotomy." Donna breathed, eyes watering again. "I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it was so wonderful out here... I want to go home."

The Doctor looked at her in surprise, but before he could speak Ember beat him to it.

"The world is full of good and bad. By turning a blind eye to the bad, one can never know to appreciate the good." She lifted her gaze from the brain to look at the Ood directly. "This pain will end. I swear it. You will sing tonight."

Donna and the Doctor didn't need to see her face to know that it was stony and determined despite the tears in her voice, and knew it so because she hardly ever swore to something unless it really effected her. The Ood in front of her saw the silver glint in her eyes and seemed far more comfortable than before, as though they knew they were in safe hands.

A loud crash from the door leading outside made them jump as they heard the familiar voice of the guard. "They're with the Ood, sir."

The Doctor jumped to his feet and grabbed the door to the cage, slamming it shut just as the guards and the man in charge stormed in. "What you going to do, then? Arrest me? Lock me up? Throw me in a cage? Well, you're too late! Ha!"

* * *

The guards had no problem with opening the cage and dragging out the three travelers, though one of them had to leave for medical attention when Ember was able to deliver a swift kick right between his legs when he tried to get her. The Doctor didn't normally approve of such violence from the brunette, but even he could see that she was mad, and it would only get worse when it became a calm anger.

Donna and the Doctor were now handcuffed to some pipes in Halpen's office, while Ember was cuffed to the nearby radiator. The brunette had barely spoken and kept her gaze down, which was another worrying sign.

"Why don't you just come out and say it?" Halpen said, pacing. "FOTO activists."

"If that's what Friends Of The Ood are trying to prove, then yes." The Doctor shot back.

Halpen scoffed. "The Ood were nothing without us, just animals roaming around on the ice."

"That's because you can't hear them!"

"They welcomed it. It's not as if they put up a fight."

Donna rolled her eyes. "You idiot. They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see, that makes them peaceful! They've got to be, because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets."

"Oh, nice one." The Doctor praised.

"Thank you."

Halpen shook his head. "The system's worked for two hundred years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilised." He held up a radio. "Mister Kess. How do we stand?"

_"Canisters primed, sir."_ The lead guard's voice came back. _"As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it two hundred marks and counting."_

The Doctor's eyes widened in realisation. "You're going to gas them?"

"Kill the livestock." Halpen shrugged. "The classic foot and mouth solution from the olden days. Still works."

"You think it'll be that easy?" All eyes turned to Ember, who had finally spoken. She still hadn't lifted her gaze from the floor. "You think you can just kill the lot and walk away? It won't end well for you."

Halpen looked her over, wondering why there was a feeling of... unease to this young woman. "And what makes you say that?"

Ember finally raised her head to look at the man, and even he could see the anger in her silver/grey eyes before she spoke again. "You will learn what it feels like to be in their shoes. This, I promise you."

"Ember..." The Doctor trailed off. He knew that look, and when she made a promise with _that_ look, it was practically a guarantee.

Halpen was about to speak when suddenly alarms went off. "What the hell?"

_"Emergency status."_ The tannoy said from speakers all around._ "Emergency status. All exits sealed. All Ood declared hostile. Ood distribution centre now-"_

There was an explosion from somewhere, cutting off the tannoy, as well as the sounds of chaos from outside.

"Change of plan." Halpen said, running his gloved hand over his balding head as he reentered the room.

A man in glasses and a lab coat spoke up. "There are no reports of trouble off-world, sir. It's still contained to the Ood Sphere."

"Then we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads."

"What's happening?" The Doctor asked.

"Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilised, so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood." Halpen moved to leave when the Doctor's next words made him pause.

"But Mister Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen."

Donna looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"A creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hind brain, they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else, a third element, am I right?"

Halpen smirked. "And again, so clever."

"But it's got to be connected to the red eye. What is it?"

"It won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood." With that, Halpen and the scientist left, followed by Ood Sigma and the guards.

The Doctor tugged at the handcuffs. "Come on."

"Well, do something! You're the one with all the tricks." Donna cried. "You must have met Houdini."

"These are really good handcuffs."

"Oh well, I'm glad of that. I mean, at least we've got quality."

Ember looked up. "They're coming."

Before they could ask who she was talking about, the door to the office opened and three Ood stepped in, their red eyes locking on to them.

"Doctor, Donna, friends!" The Doctor yelled.

"The circle must be broken!" Donna added as the Ood began to approach.

"Doctor, Donna, friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

The two repeated themselves several times, but it seemed to be ineffective as the Ood continued their approach. They were only feet away before Ember finally spoke, loud enough to be heard.

"Stop." To Donna and the Doctor's shock, the Ood did exactly that and turned to face the brunette, who was watching them with a sudden calm that was almost unnatural. "Reach out to the unprocessed. See the truth. Doctor, Donna, friends."

There was a pause as the Ood before them closed their eyes and held their heads for a few moments before straightening once more, only now their eyes were back to normal.

"Doctor. Donna. Friends." One spoke in his calm voice.

Donna and the Doctor burst into chatter and grins. "Yes! That's us! Friends! Oh, yes!"

The Ood helpfully released the three from their restraints, and the Doctor immediately went to Ember, who was shaking her head as though to clear it. "Are you alright?"

"Not sure what just happened there," she admitted, wincing. "I could hear the song, and I was angry, but then... I felt calm. Now I've got a headache."

The Doctor nodded as he helped her to her feet. "You might be more sensitive to the telepathic field. Come on, let's go."

The travelers took off, going back outside only to find chaos. Ood with red eyes and guards attacking each other, explosions and alarms; it was hard to take in.

"I don't know where it is." The Doctor was rambling. "I don't know where they've gone..."

"What are we looking for?" Donna asked.

It was hard to tell if the Doctor hadn't heard her or just ignored her as he continued. "It might be underground, like some sort of cave, or a cavern, or-"

An explosion behind them sent them sprawling into the snow. Ember was the first to look up, mainly because she knew who was there.

"We don't know where to go," She said, pointing. "But he does."

Donna and the Doctor looked, to see Ood Sigma standing calmly amoung the chaos, waiting for them to see him before he turned and walked away. The trio followed him to a warehouse with the number 15 painted on the door, and the Doctor was quick to unlock the door and let them in. They found themselves on a catwalk above what looked like a giant brain surrounded by pylons that crackled electricity between them.

"The Ood Brain." The Doctor mused. "Now it all makes sense, That's the missing link. The third element, binding them together. Forebrain, hind brain, and this; the telepathic centre. It's a shared mind, connecting all the Ood in song."

A quiet click made them look to the other end of the catwalk, where Halpen stood pointing a gun at them. The scientist that was with him earlier was just behind him, next to some panels. "Cargo. I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable, without livestock."

"He's mined the area." The scientist called.

Donna looked at the armed man even as the Doctor moved to be between the women and the gun. "You're going to kill it?"

"They found that thing centuries ago beneath the Northern Glacier." Halpen said.

The Doctor looked at the setup below them again. "Those pylons..."

"In a circle." Donna realised "The circle must be broken."

"Damping the telepathic field. Stopping the Ood from connecting for two hundred years."

Halpen turned his eyes to the lone Ood with them. "And you, Ood Sigma, you brought them here. I expected better."

"My place is at your side, sir." The Ood replied simply as he walked over to stand at said place.

"Still subservient. Good Ood."

Donna shook her head, missing the momentary confusion on Halpen's face. "If that barrier thing's in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?"

"Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt." The Doctor wondered, noticing Ember nodding. "The subconscious reaching out?"

"But the process was too slow. It had to be accelerated." The scientist said, suddenly going from timid to proud. "You should have never given me access to the controls, Mister Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends Of The Ood, sir. It's taken me ten years to infiltrate the company, and I succeeded."

"Yes. Yes, you did." Happen then grabbed the scientist by the coat and shoved him over the railing.

"No!" Ember had tried to run forward, without thinking, but the Doctor swiftly grabbed her arm and pulled her back. They could only watch as the scientist landed right on top of the giant brain, only to be absorbed into it without a trace.

"You murdered him." Donna gasped.

Halpen didn't look bothered at all at the fact that he'd just killed another man. "Very observant, Ginger. Now, then. Can't say I've ever shot anyone before. Can't say I'm going to like it. But er, it's not exactly a normal day, is it? Still..."

"Would you like a drink, sir?" Sigma suddenly said, holding a shot glass with a clear liquid in it.

"I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks." Halpen chuckled as he waved off the offer.

Sigma moved so he was standing between Halpen and the trio, holding up the glass again. "Please have a drink, sir."

"If... if you're going to stand in their way," Halpen suddenly had a slur to his words, as though he was having difficulty getting them out. "I'll shoot you too."

The Doctor put his hand on Sigma's shoulder, but was ignored as the Ood implored again. "Please have a drink, sir."

Halpen's face paled as a thought occurred to him. "Have... have you... poisoned me?"

"Natural Ood must never kill, sir."

The Doctor eyed the glass warily. "What is that stuff?"

"Ood graft suspended in a biological compound, sir." Sigma replied calmly.

"What the hell does that mean?" Halpen demanded.

"Oh, dear..." the Doctor breathed in realisation.

"Tell me!"

"Funny thing, the subconscious. Takes all sorts of shapes. Came out in the red eye as revenge, came out in the rabid Ood as anger, and then there was patience."

"Being angry is one thing, but when you can't control it, it leads you to do things you'd regret later." Ember said. "A calm anger is much more dangerous. That's the kind that lets you think."

"All that intelligence and mercy, focused on Ood Sigma." The Doctor continued, glancing at Sigma before leaning forward. "How's the hair loss, Mister Halpen?"

Halpen ran a hand over his head, pulling it back to find a clump of his own hair had come away. "What have you done?"

"Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time. And now you're standing next to the Ood Brain, Mister Halpen, can you hear it? Listen."

Halpen held the gun in shaking hands as he tried to focus, but it was increasingly difficult as Sigma stepped aside once more. "What have you...? I'm not..."

The three travelers watched as the man's face suddenly went blank and he dropped the gun. He lowered his head to his hands and then pulled away his own scalp, making retching sounds as familiar tentacles tumbled out of his mouth. In a matter of moments, he straighted and felt his head, revealing that he was now an Ood.

"They..." Donna was almost speechless. "They turned him into an Ood?"

"Yep." The Doctor replied, not even looking at her.

"He's an Ood."

"I noticed."

Ood Halpen made a croaky, groaning noise before he sneezed and a tiny hind brain tumbled into his hands.

"He has become Oodkind," Sigma declared, "and we will take care of him."

"I told you, you're gonna know what an Ood really is now. Maybe you'll be better as an Ood than you were as a human." Ember said, then wrinkled her nose. "Never eating spag bol again, by the way."

"It's weird, being with you two." Donna said, shaking her head. "I can't tell what's right and what's wrong any more."

"It's better that way. People who know for certain tend to be like Mister Halpen." The Doctor looked around at the sound of something beeping. "Oh!" He leaned over and deactivated the explosives attached to the side, then turned to face Sigma. "That's better. And now, Sigma, would you allow me the honour?"

"Actually, it was the Fire who promised to break to circle," Sigma replied. "The honour is hers."

Ember blinked, pointing at herself. "Me?"

"Oh, yes! Stifled for two hundred years, but not any more!" The Doctor took her hand and pulled her to a large switch on the panel. "Go ahead."

Ember hesitated, but the Doctor and Donna smiled encouragingly at her, and she took a breath. "The circle is broken. The Ood can sing."

She pulled the switch, shutting off the current around the giant brain. Almost immediately the air was filled with a new song.

"I can hear it!" Donna exclaimed.

Unlike the last one that sang of slavery and captivity, this one sang of freedom and life, and it too had much more of an impact than Ember had felt in the show, bringing her to tears.

This time, though, she cried tears of joy.

* * *

The trio were now standing outside the Tardis, along with Sigma and a few other Ood. Ember was saddened to find out that Solana had still died, despite the apparent change in her behaviour.

"The message has gone out." The Doctor said. "That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home."

"We thank you, Doctor Donna, friends of Oodkind. And you, Miss Ember." Sigma inclined his head. "And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you."

The Doctor shrugged. "Oh, I've, I've sort of got a song of my own, thanks."

"I think your song must end soon."

That made the Doctor stiffen, and he noticed Ember look away. "Meaning?"

"Every song must end."

"Yeah." The Doctor decided to let it go for now, turning to Donna. "Er, what about you? You still want to go home?"

Donna shook her head. "No. Definitely not."

"Then we'll be off."

"Take this song with you." Sigma said. Donna nodded.

"We will."

"Always." The Doctor added, drawing Ember into a one-armed hug.

"And know this, Doctor Donna. And you, Miss Ember. You will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor Donna and the Storm of Fire, and our children's children, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever."

The song followed the trio even as they entered the Tardis and disappeared.

* * *

Donna has decided she needed a hot bath and a nap after the emotional roller coaster ride they'd been through, so she left the Doctor and Ember in the console room. The Doctor was busying himself with the controls as Ember took a seat in the captain's chair.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

The Doctor glanced at her before focusing on the console again. "'Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you've just been told you're going to die," Ember said flatly, sighing as she saw the Doctor tense with his back to her. "I'm sorry. That wasn't called for..."

"Do you know?"

Ember paused at the quiet question, not certain she'd heard it. "What?"

The Doctor didn't turn to face her, staring down unseeing at the console. "Do you know when I die?"

"You mean in general, or this you?" Ember asked. When she didn't get a clarification, she stood and moved to his side. "I know when it happens. I haven't been there yet. But you don't die, not permanently at least..."

"Can I ask you for a favour?" His voice was soft, but she heard him clearly. "When... when it's time, can you be there? If I really have to go, I don't want to be alone..."

Ember felt her heart (or hearts - she really needed to get used to that) twist at the quiet plea. "I... I want to, but as I said, I haven't done it yet. I'm not sure if I can promise that I will be there..."

The Doctor looked at her as she trailed off, and after a slight hesitation, he reached out and placed his hand on hers. Her fingers were still slightly chilled from the cold planet they'd been on, so he tucked them into his palm to help warm them up. "I know you can't promise. It's selfish of me to ask that, but... just this once, I want to be selfish."

"I get it." Ember replied. "I'll do whatever I can to be there. Maybe I'll ask one of your future selves if I did. Hey, I have a question: the Fire. The Ood called me that and you weren't surprised. There's been others too; other aliens that have called me different names. The Great Fire, the Flame Immortal... She who must not die. Why do I have so many names?"

"Well, the one about not dying is new to me, but..." the Doctor sighed. "You've got loads of names. You told me once that you've had more names than you can remember. It depends what those aliens have seen and heard about you. I've got a few as well, remember?"

Ember nodded. "I guess so. I just wish I knew what it all means. But that last one: She who must not die. Does that mean I'm like Jack? I can't die?"

"There's a big difference between what 'can' die and what 'must not'. You are able to die, but... if you did, I don't know what I'd do..."

The console room was silent other than the central pillar raising and falling. Ember stared at it without seeing it as she took in what she'd learned.

_"I can die, but for some reason the Silence think I must not."_ She thought. _"But why?"_

* * *

There we are! Hope you liked it!

Next Time: Ember goes further into the Doctor's future than she's ever been before.


	10. Chapter Ten: Robot of Sherwood

Ok, here's a new one! Enjoy!

* * *

Surprisingly, it was nearly a month before Ember jumped again. Though she was glad for it: after that talk with Ten, she wanted to make sure he was alright before she left. She knew he would be, but it was never easy to talk about something like death and then just bounce back.

When the burning faded this time, she breathed a sigh of relief when the 'heartburn' didn't remain. It looked like the worst of it was over; now she just had to get used to the fact that she now had two hearts.

"Ember?"

The brunette turned at the sound of her name, only to blink in puzzlement.

The Tardis was different. It had a metallic feel to it, with Gallifreyan symbols rotating near the ceiling. There was now an upper gallery with books lining the walls, an odd armchair dotted around and a chalkboard with equations scribbled on it.

She'd only seen this layout once before: after she'd met Skaldak.

But it wasn't the Eleventh Doctor looking at her from the upper gallery. It was the Twelth, in his black coat with red lining. Clara was next to him, holding a book.

"Um, hi?" She almost squeaked.

The Doctor walked down the steps leading to the console, not taking his eyes off of Ember even as he stopped right in front of her. The brunette was wearing a pair of white shorts and black leggings with a light blue, short sleeved top, and black boots. Her hair was put up in a messy ponytail that was slipped through the back of the black baseball cap on her head. She didn't move as the Doctor carefully lifted the hat off and tossed it to one side without looking, but did flinch slightly as his hand came up to cup the left side of her face, his thumb brushing her cheek.

"It's been a long time since I saw you without that scar," he murmured at last.

Ember blinked, puzzled. There it was again: a mention of a scar. Everyone so far had indicated that it would be on her face in the future, but the question was when would she get it? And how? "Um... I'm sorry I get it..."

The Doctor shook his head. "Believe me, I wish you wouldn't have to."

"Yea, but can't mess up the timelines, right?" Ember tried to joke, drawing a faint smile from the man before her. "Speaking of timelines, what's going on?"

The Doctor, thankfully, dropped the subject, walking back up the steps to where Clara was and taking the book from her. "I was just telling Clara that old-fashioned heroes only exist in old-fashioned story books."

Clara gave him a flat look. "And what about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. You stop bad things happening every minute of every day. That sounds pretty heroic to me."

The Doctor produced a large, metal spoon from somewhere and licked something off it. "Just passing the time. Hey, what about Mars?"

"What?!"

"The Ice Warrior Hives..."

"You said it was my choice!"

"Or the Tumescent Arrows of the Half-Light. Those girls can hold their drink..."

"Doctor..."

"And fracture fifteen different levels of reality simultaneously. I think I've got a Polaroid somewhere..."

"Doctor!" Clara snapped, making him turn to face her. "My choice. Robin Hood. Show me."

Ember tried not to giggle at the banter as the two came back down to console level. Wether it was Eleven or Twelve, Clara knew how to tangle with the Doctor.

"Very well." The Doctor said, reluctantly putting in the coordinates. "Earth. England. Sherwood Forest. 1190AD. Ish. But you'll only be disappointed."

Clara grinned, turning to the hallway leading deeper into the ship. "I'm gonna get changed! Ember, you coming?"

"No, thanks!" Ember called back, staying put. "I'm fine as I am."

That left her and the Doctor on their own. Which was surprisingly a little awkward for the brunette. With the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor, it was easy to get caught up in their hype and excitement. Nine wasn't as hyper, but he still showed excitement.

The Twelth Doctor, however, was much different. Ember knew from what she'd seen in the show that this Doctor had more difficulty expressing emotion, and often came off as cold and unfeeling. But deep down, she knew that he was still the same man she'd started travelling with.

"So, is this the latest you've seen me?"

The Doctor's calm question brought her out of her thoughts, and she had to think for a moment before she answered. "No. I've seen this you once before, if you can count that. It was right at the beginning, and I didn't know what was happening. Couldn't even tell where I was, but you and Clara were there. I was only there for a few minutes, I think, before I jumped for the first time."

The Doctor hummed in answer as he fiddled with some of the switches on the console. "So... new me. What do you think?"

"You mean you haven't seen me since you regenerated?"

"Oh, yes, I have, but it's in your future, so you'd already seen me before. I'm talking about first impressions. Can't get a second one of those, after all..."

Ember tilted her head, noticing the very slight tremble in his voice. It was almost like he was... afraid of what she'd say. "Well... you're a little rough around the edges. You come off as a bit uncaring, even though we both know different."

The Doctor hesitated. "And the face? It feels familiar, but I can't recall where I've seen it before. Too old?"

"Doctor, your age is in four digits." Ember pointed out. "And you're not a shrivelled up mummy, so I'd count that as a win. As for the face, it doesn't matter. I know the man behind it."

"Do you?" The Doctor almost sounded challenging as he turned to face her. "Have you faced the Daleks yet?"

"No, not met any of them yet. Not looking forward to it." Ember looked away for a moment before she met his gaze again. "I have to ask you something. When you regenerate... am I there?"

"Which time?"

"All of them. From leather jacket to converse and wild hair, to bow ties and fish fingers with custard, to right now. You told me earlier that when you have to go you didn't want to be alone. I want to know if I was there, just like you asked me to."

The Doctor looked away. "It wasn't fair of me to ask that of you, when you didn't know either..."

"And you acknowledged that at the time." Ember countered. "Please. Just this one thing. Tell me."

A moment passed, then another, and Ember was beginning to think he wasn't going to answer, but then he spoke in a quiet voice. "You were there every time. And I couldn't be more grateful for that."

Ember let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. "Thank you."

"Right, now... Robin Hood? Really?"

* * *

The Tardis materialised in a beautiful forest, next to a stream that had a large tree stump had fallen to cross it, flattened on one side to act as a bridge. Birds were singing, undeterred by the strange appearance of the blue box as the door opened and the Doctor stepped out with Ember behind him.

"No damsels in distress," he said. "No pretty castles, no such thing as Robin Hood."

Ember flinched when an arrow slammed into the wood of the Tardis about a foot away from her head, making her squeak. Looking across the stream, they were just in time to see a young man dressed in Lincoln Green pop up from behind a fallen tree trunk.

"You called?" He asked with a wink as he stepped into full view and approached the stream. "Very, very nicely done with the box, sir. I saw a Turk perform something very similar at Nottingham Fayre."

The Doctor ignored him, turning to his box and pulling the arrow out, and the hole it had made vanished.

"It's a trick with mirrors, no doubt?" The man asked, seeing the event.

The Doctor looked at him incredulously. "A trick?"

"A good jest. Ha, ha!"

"This is not a trick. This is a Tardis."

"Whatever it is, you bony rascal, I'm afraid I must relieve you of it."

"It's my... property, that's what it is!"

"Well, don't you know all property is theft to Robin Hood?" The now named man hopped up onto the makeshift bridge, discarding his bow and quiver of arrows.

"You're not serious."

"I'm many things, sir, but I'm never that. Robin Hood laughs in the face of all. Ha, ha, ha!"

"And do people ever punch you in the face when you do that?" The Doctor deadpanned.

"Not as yet."

"Lucky I'm here then, isn't it?"

It was at that moment that Clara stepped out of the Tardis, dressed in a red medieval-style dress, with long cut-away sleeves and a thin girdle around her hips. There is also a thin, silver rope across her forehead that stayed in place as if glued there.

"Might be a little bit much, but what do you reckon, Doctor?" She asked, oblivious to the argument.

Robin looked surprised by the appearance of a third person from a seemingly small box. "By all the saints... Are there any more in there?"

Clara looked over then, finally seeing who was in their company. She began to absently pat the Doctor as though to get his attention. "Is that...?"

"No." The Doctor said.

"Yep," Ember said, making the Doctor send a mild look of betrayal her way.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God! It is, isn't it? You found him." Clara went from mature woman to giddy school girl in seconds. "You actually found Robin Hood!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "That is not Robin Hood!"

"Well then, who, sir, is about to relieve you of your magic box?" Robin drew his long sword. "And perhaps your ladies as well, even if one of them is a little scantly clad."

Ember looked down at herself. Her shorts reached mid-thigh and she was wearing leggings, so she thought it wasn't that bad. Then again, Rose had worn dungarees and was said to be 'naked'. Maybe it was the short sleeves?

Unbeknownst to her, the Doctor bristled at the threat, and he stepped onto the bridge. "Nobody, sir. Not in this universe or the next."

"Well then, draw your sword and prove your words."

"I have no sword. I don't need a sword." The Doctor opened his coat and turned on the spot to prove it, then pulled out a black leather gauntlet to put on his right hand. "Because I am the Doctor. And this is my spoon. En garde!"

If Robin Hood was confused by the odd choice of weapon, he didn't have time to question it as the two began to trade thrusts and parries.

Clara leaned slightly over to Ember so she could speak without looking away from the action. "Um, he's sword fighting with a spoon..."

"He's done much more with much less," Ember replied.

Surprisingly, the spoon was standing up to the sword very well. The Doctor passed Robin and hit him on the back of the neck as he did.

"Ow!"

"You're amazing!" Clara called.

"I've had some experience." The Doctor said, deflecting another thrust. "Richard the Lionheart. Cyrano de Bergerac. Errol Flynn. He had the most enormous-"

Clara cut him off before he could finish. "Ahem!"

"Ego!"

"Takes one to know one."

Ember couldn't help a laugh as the Doctor slapped Robin's backside in passing.

"Oh, you!" Robin lunged, and this time was able to catch him, albeit only cutting a button off of the Doctor's coat.

The Doctor looked at him for a moment, then opened his arms in a silent challenge. Robin attacked again, but the Doctor turned at the last moment so that they ended up standing back to back on the bridge. The Doctor then bent slightly and shoved Robin with his butt, making the green-clad man fall face first into the stream.

"Doctor!" Clara called, running onto the bridge to join him. Ember stayed where she was.

The Doctor confidently polished his spoon. "Like I said. My box. And no one scares my Ember, much less takes her away from me."

Ember blinked at that. His Ember?

Clara was looking at the water, growing concerned when she couldn't find Robin. "Doctor?"

The Doctor joined her, looking into the water. So concerned were they, that they didn't notice Robin appear from the water behind them.

Until his rose up and shoved the Doctor forward, sending him into the water with a splash.

Laughing along with Robin and Clara, Ember forgot about the slip of the tongue. For now.

* * *

After their dip in the stream, Robin led the Doctor, Ember and Clara to his hideout: a narrow gully where shallow caves hid under the tree line. It was quite easy to miss the spot if one didn't know where it was.

"Let me introduce you to my men." Robin said, standing between Clara and Ember. "This is Will Scarlet. He is a cheeky rogue with a good sword arm and a slippery tongue."

"My Ladies," The man bowed, only to yelp as the Doctor promptly tugged some of his hair out "Argh! What do you want with my hair?"

The Doctor ignored him, examining the hair with his Sonic. "Well, it's realistic, I'll give you that."

"Rude," Ember hissed at him, but he shrugged.

Robin glanced at the Doctor before continuing, gesturing to a pudgy man in a brown robe with a balding head. "And this is Friar Tuck. Aptly named for the amount of grub he tucks into."

"You skinny blackguard." He said in jest as he moved to step forward, only to stumble and turn to face the Doctor, who'd caused the stumble by removing the man's sandal "What are you doing?"

"This isn't a real sandal!" He declared, waving the item.

"Yes, it is!"

The Doctor, to Ember's flight disgust, sniffed the sandal. "Oh. Yes, it is."

Robin looked increasingly concerned as he carried on, facing a young man with a musical instrument next, his dark, curly hair sticking out of a pointed hat. "This, er, is Alan-a-Dale. He's a master of the lute, whose music brightens up these dark days."

Alan strummed the lute and began to sing. "Stranger you are welcome here, in Sherwood's bonny glade-Ow!"

The Doctor had jabbed his arm with a hypodermic gizmo, causing his yelp. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Blood analysis." He removed the device and looked at the result. "Oh. All those diseases. If you were real, you'd be dead in six months."

Alan paled. "I am real!"

"Bye." The Doctor said simply as he walked away, past a rather tall man with a beard and puffy hair.

"And this is John Little." Robin said, gesturing in the man's direction. "Called Little John. He's my loyal companion in many an adventure."

After a moment, the man mountain stepped aside and a small man jumped forward, making Clara also jump. "Oh!"

"Works every time!" The little man laughed, soon joined by the others.

"Oh, I cannot believe this. You... you really are Robin Hood and his Merry Men!"

"Aye! That is an apt description." Robin grinned, turning to his men. "What say you, lads?"

"Aye!"

Ember turned to look at the Doctor just as he stopped examining the miscellaneous items around them to look at the laughing group, finally addressing them.

"Stop laughing! Why are you always doing that? Are you all simple or something?" He picked up a nearby goblet and threw out its contents before approaching Robin. "I'm going to need a sample."

"Of what?" The leader asked, but was interjected by Clara, who rushed up to pull the Doctor back.

"Ahem. Excuse me. Sorry." She said to the group before she pulled the Doctor a few feet away to where Ember was now standing. "What are you doing?"

"Well, they're not holograms, that much is obvious. Could be a theme park from the future." The Doctor replied, going over the ideas in his head out loud. "Or we might be inside a miniscope."

Clara shook her head as she watched him look up and around as though he would be able to find something. "Oh, shut up."

"A miniscope. Yes, of course. Why not?"

Ember nudged Clara as the Doctor wandered off again, lowering her voice so she wouldn't be heard by the Time Lord. "Not a miniscope, by the way."

Clara looked at her. "Real? Please be real."

"For once, the Doctor happens to be wrong." Ember said, then looked thoughtful. "Well, mostly wrong. But there is something wrong about this place. Don't worry, you'll find out."

Before Clara could reply, Robin approached. "Your friend... seems not quite of the real world."

"No. No, he's not really." Clara replied. "Not most of the time."

Ember leaned against the rocky wall, watching the Doctor rummage about again. "He has seen so many things. There have been times when he's been deceived, lied to, tricked. When it happens often enough, you start to become wary, even distrustful. Sometimes even of your own eyes." She looked at Robin then, and he almost faltered when he saw something in her eyes that spoke highly of experience in the matter. "I'm sorry, but right now he's doubtful. Men such as you, who stand up for what's right and are ready to help those in need, are a rare sight. Sometimes too good to be true. But he'll warm up to you, after you show him that you're as real as he is."

Robin tilted his head, regarding the woman who, in his mind, was dressed oddly. While she looked to be the youngest of the three travelers, her behaviour and words pointed to an experienced person who'd seen more than they were willing to let on. Her eyes alone looked as old as any wizened man he'd ever met, perhaps more so. There was something about her that made him think that she would make a very powerful ally, or just as deadly an enemy. All he could do was hope she wouldn't turn out to be the latter.

Clara could see that Robin was thinking hard about Ember, so she tried to divert the attention. "Dark days?"

Robin blinked, caught off guard. "My lady?"

"You said that these were dark days. What did you mean?"

"King Richard is away on crusade, my lady." Will called, having overheard at least Clara. "His tyrant of a brother rules instead."

Clara was already connecting the dots. "And the Sheriff. Cos there is a sheriff, right?"

"Aye." Alan joined in, holding several plates. "It is indeed this jackal of the princes who seeks to oppress us for ever more."

The Doctor glanced at him. "Or six months in your case."

"It is a shame to dwell on murky thoughts when there is such beauty here." Robin murmured, looking at Clara.

Clara, smart as she was, noticed something. "Why are you so sad?"

Robin hesitated for a long moment. "Why do you think me sad?"

"It's easy to hide sadness behind a smile," Ember pointed out. "When you're smiling and laughing, people are often fooled into thinking you have nothing to be sad about."

"She's right," Clara agreed. "And the Doctor's right; you laugh too much."

Another hesitatation. "You know, I do not live this outlaw life by choice. You see before you Robert..."

"Earl of Loxley." Clara said at the same time as the man. "Yes!"

"Yes..." Robin looked puzzled.

"Sorry. Do go on."

"I er, I had my lands and titles stripped from me. I dared to speak out against Prince John. But I lost the thing most dear to me."

"What was she called?"

Robin looked at the dark haired girl. "You're so very quick. How does the Doctor stand it?"

"Marian?"

"You know her?"

"Oh, yes. I have always known her."

"It was Marian who told me that I must stand up and be counted. But, I was afraid. Now this green canopy is my palace and the rough ground my feather bed. Maybe one day I will return home, but until that day. Until that day, it is beholden on me to be the man Marian wanted," he grasped at a chain around his neck. "To be a hero for those this tyrant sheriff slaughters."

Ember noticed that the Doctor, who was close enough to hear the quiet words, had paused, looking at her from across the way. Before she could ask what was wrong, the Time Lord quickly moved to Robin and asked "What time is it, Mister Hood?"

Robin looked up at the sky and the position of the sun. "Somewhat after noon."

"No, no. Time of year? What season?"

"Oh, Dame Autumn has draped her mellow skirts about the forest, Doctor. The time of mists and harvest approaches."

"Yeah, yeah. All very poetic. But it's very green hereabouts, though, isn't it? Like I said, very sunny."

Clara looked at him in confusion. "So?"

"Have you been to Nottingham?"

Ember walked to the Doctor's side. "He means that for this time of year, the forest shouldn't look like this."

Clara glanced around. "Climate change?"

"It's 1190." The Doctor replied, as though that were enough of an answer.

Robin shook his head. The words these travelers used was ever confusing. "You must excuse me. The Sheriff has issued a proclamation and tomorrow there is to be a contest to find the best archer in the land. And the bounty, it's an arrow made of pure gold."

"No! Don't, don't go." Clara blurted. "It's a trap!"

"Well, of course it is! But a contest to find the best archer in the land? There is no contest!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes as the group laughed again, finally turning to address them. "Right, that isn't even funny! That was bantering! I am totally against bantering."

Clara moved so that she was facing him while her back was to the group. "How can you be so sure he is not the real thing?"

"Because he can't be."

"When did you stop believing in everything?"

"When did you start believing in impossible heroes?"

Clara looked at him. "Don't you know? In a way, it's rather sweet."

As the woman turned to go back to the group, Ember moved forward and nudged the Doctor with her elbow. Instead of him holding an apple, as it had been in the show, it was her. "In a world when all seems to be lost, an impossible hero rises. One who looks at the pain and the despair and the seemingly hopeless, until finally they stand up and say two words that have echoed through all of life and history. You know exactly what those words are... because you've said them yourself."

The Doctor glanced at her as she bit into the apple. Though she wasn't looking at him, he could see that her eyes were just a slight bit more silver than grey now, though she was oblivious to the change. He pointed his Sonic at the apple, scanning it and nodding to himself that it was harmless.

* * *

The next day, the Doctor allowed Clara to accompany Robin - who had taken up the alias of Tom the Tinker - to attend the archery contest. The Doctor himself and Ember were hidden behind a yellow and blue tent, watching the scene, while the Doctor had a bow and arrows to his own.

After watching the competition, including the final showdown between Robin and the Sheriff of Nottingham, the Doctor snuck out and readied his own arrow, interrupting Robin's claim of the prize by sending the arrow to split his on the target.

"I'm the Doctor." He declared. "My skills as a bowman speak for themselves. I claim my reward." The Herald knelt and the Doctor plucked the prize from the pillow, only to toss it in the general direction of the Merry Men like it were nothing. "A mere bauble. I want something else."

"Name it." The Sheriff said.

"Enlightenment."

Robin had by then readied another arrow, splitting the Doctor's on the target in a silent challenge. The crowd cheered and roared as the Doctor's next arrow ricocheted off a guard's armour to split Robin's. Robin retaliated by not even looking when he looses his missile.

"This is getting silly." The Doctor said at last, dropping his bow. Ember ran to his side, but before she could stop him, he'd taken out his Sonic and pointed it at the target, making it explode. The crowd gasped in awe.

"Fascinating." The Sheriff said before he stepped back. "Seize him!"

Three knights drew their swords. Clara ran over and grabbed what looked like an anachronistic halberd from a rack and tried to swing it, only it was too heavy for her, and she nearly caught Ember as it fell. The brunette was grabbed and pulled aside by the Doctor.

"What are you doing?" He said. "Put that down!"

"I'm fine," Clara insisted, though it was obviously not so. "I take Year Seven for after school Tae Kwon Do."

"Don't worry, Doctor." Robin said, brandishing as sword. "I'll save you!"

"I don't need saving." The Doctor said.

"Your honour is safe..."

"I know!"

"For I am Robin!" The man pulled off his hat to reveal himself, gaining cheers from the crowd. "Robin Hood!"

A knight approached and engaged him in a sword fight, but it barely lasted a few seconds when Robin severed one of the knights' arms. It fell to the ground and sparked, metal and cogs replacing flesh and bone. Voices from the crowd yelled of witchery as the Doctor ran over to pick up the arm.

"Robot!" He said, looking up at the now one-armed knight as the visor opened to reveal a metal face. A violet light shone in a cross pattern from between its eyebrows. "Now we're getting somewhere!"

"Take them!" The Sheriff yelled. "Kill the rest! Kill them all!"

The robot knights attacked, firing energy bolts from their foreheads. The ground exploded as the crowd ran in terror, sending people flying.

The Doctor ran over to where Robin, Ember and Clara had been separated from the Merry Men. "He surrenders!"

"What?" The leader asked in shock.

"Hai!" The Doctor ignored him in favour of using an aikido chop to knock Robin's sword out of his hand as the knights surrounded them.

"You miserable cur. I had them on the run." Robin called to his men. "Flee, lads, flee! Live to fight another day!"

The Merry Men took off, taking advantage of the chaos to escape capture. The Sherrif looked down at the four remaining prisoners. "To the dungeons with all of them."

"What are you up to?" Clara whispered to the Doctor as they were marched away.

"Quickest way to find out anybody's plans; get yourself captured." He replied.

Robin was walking next to Ember and behind the Doctor and Clara. "Your friend is foolish."

"To some," Ember said quietly, stumbling as she was shoved by one of the knights. She smiled gratefully when Robin caught her arm before she fell. "But he's experienced in this kind of thing. And as much as I know your skill, you wouldn't have been able to fight these knights and survive. In a time like this, capture is better than death, because the former isn't permanent."

Robin glanced at her, taking note of her words. There was definitely much more to this young woman than meets the eye.

* * *

A short time later, the group of four found themselves in a dungeon, facing a skeleton that was sitting up against a stake fastened into the floor of the stone chamber. A single cross slit illuminated the room enough to see that they were chained together in a line, with the chains running through large hoops set into stones in the floor, sat against their own stakes in positions similar to the skeleton. Ember was on the far left, then Robin, then the Doctor, then Clara.

The leader of the Merry Men could no longer stay quiet as he rattled the chain. "Splendid! Enchained!"

"Yep." Clara said.

"Trussed up like turkey-cocks. Thanks to your friend."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Shut it, Hoodie. I saved your life!"

"I had the situation well in hand."

"Long-haired ninny versus robot killer knights? I know where I'd put my money."

Ember sighed through her nose. She wanted to speak up, but she knew how this was going to go, so she decided to let it play out.

"If you had not betrayed me, I would have been triumphant." Robin continued.

The Doctor shook his head. "You would have been a little puff of smoke and ashes."

"Oh, ha!"

"You'd have been floating around in tiny little laughing bits, in people's goblets."

"Balderdash. Ha!"

"Oh, right, here we go." The Doctor looked at Clara, gesturing with his head at the other man. "It's laughing time."

"Well, you amuse me, grey old man."

"Guard!" The Doctor yelled, trying to be heard over Robin's laughing. "He's laughing again! You can't keep me locked up with a laughing person!"

"Oh, I find that, I find that quite funny. Do you know, I feel another laugh coming on. A-ha-ha-ha!"

"Guards, I cannot remain in this cell! Execute me now!"

"You heard him! Execute the old fool!"

"No, hang on. Execute him!"

"I do not fear death, so execute away!"

"Execute him! I'd like to see if his head keeps laughing when you chop it off!"

"Oh, Robin Hood always laughs in the face of death!"

"Yes, rolling around the floor laughing, I would pay good money to see that!"

The two ended up shouting together, trying to get someone's attention. Ember drew her knees up and pressed her forehead into them, feeling a headache coming on. "Guard! Guard! Guard! Guard! Guard! Guard!"

"Oh, you two, shut up!" Clara finally shouted, quieting the two, before she spoke calmly and clearly. "Do either of you understand, in any way at all, that there isn't actually a guard out there?"

The Doctor leaned to the side slightly, looking at the door that stood just behind the skeleton. He blinked when there was no sign of movement. "Oh."

Robin looked as well, and then he tried to gain some ground. "I did, in fact."

The Doctor glanced at him. "No, you didn't..."

"I said, shut up." Clara cut in before they could get into another spat. "The Doctor and Robin Hood locked up in a cellar. Is this seriously the best that you can do? You're determined to starve to death in here squabbling."

There was a moment of quiet as Ember lifted her head from her knees, and then Robin spoke. "Well, I'll tell you one thing. I'd last a lot longer than this desiccated man-crone."

The Doctor scoffed. "Really?"

"Really."

"Well, you know what? I think you'll find I have a certain genetic advantage-Oh!" The Doctor almost yelped as Clara tanked on the chain that connected her and the Doctor by the wrist.

"It is not a competition about who can die slower!" She said.

"It would definitely be me, though, wouldn't it?"

Clara chose not to answer that, and instead tried to get them back on track. "There was supposed to be a plan. Do either of you two have a plan?"

"Yeah, of course I have a plan!"

"I too have a plan." Robin declared.

Clara nodded. "Okay. Robin, you first."

"Why him?"

"Doctor, shut up. Robin, your plan."

"I am..." Robin hesitated. "...biding my time."

Clara sighed, glancing at Ember, who shrugged. "Thank you, Prince of Thieves. Last of the Time Lords?"

"Yes, I have a plan."

"Can you explain your plan without using the word sonic screwdriver? Because you might have forgotten the Sheriff of Nottingham has taken your sonic screwdriver, just saying. It's always the screwdriver."

"Okay, let-let-let-let's hear Robin's plan first..."

"Oh, for God's sake..."

Ember suddenly tensed, only alerting Robin since he was directly connected to her. "My lady?"

"We've got company."

Before they could ask her to elaborate, there was a clattering sound as the door to the dungeon was unlocked.

"See? There was a guard." Robin said, trying to save face. "There was guard listening the whole time, I knew it. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

The guard approached, his teeth barely recognisable for the stumps they now were. "The Sheriff himself commanded me to listen, to find out which of you is the true ringleader."

"Ah, so he can do the interrogating." The Doctor said. "Very wise."

Robin grinned. "Excellent. He will get nothing from me."

"No, no, no, no. no. He will get nothing from me, because interrogation, that's where I always turn the tables. You see, that's my plan."

"Just hurry up and take me to him." Robin said, raising his hands.

"No, no, chop-chop, come on."

So busy were they arguing with each other, they hadn't realised that the guard had gone to Clara until her unfastened chains hit the floor. The dark haired girl nearly threw her hands up. "Seriously?"

"No..." the Doctor murmured as the guard pulled her away.

Robin was just as puzzled. "What are you doing?"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

The door slammed shut and was locked again, leaving the three of them alone again. The Doctor stared at the door for a few more moments before he turned to face the only female in the room.

"You knew they'd take Clara?" He asked, unknowing or uncaring if Robin heard.

Ember nodded. "Believe me, she's better out there. That's why I didn't speak. If they'd have taken me, I'd have messed it up, or made it worse. Clara can do better than I can."

The Doctor looked like he wanted to argue, but sat back against the wooden stake with a huff.

Robin was watching Ember with dark eyes before he spoke. "You knew of things before they came to be? Are you some kind of witch?"

"Oi, don't call her that!" The Doctor snapped, startling Robin with the firmness in his voice.

"It's alright, Doctor." Ember said softly before she turned her attention to Robin. "I'm... kind of like a fortune teller. I can see what could happen, but it doesn't always go that way."

"Then you knew we would be captured," Robin said, quickly connecting the dots. "So why not tell us beforehand?"

"Would you have believed me?" Ember countered. "Here's an example: if I told you that a tree truck bridging over a raging river was too weak to hold your weight, and that you would fall if you tried to cross it, what would you do?"

Robin blinked, puzzled by the question, but answered. "I would find another way across."

Ember shook her head. "That's one possibility. But what if the event that you would fall into the river absolutely had to happen? Like destiny, or fate? Then Fate would find a way to make sure you would fall, be it by that tree trunk or some other way that I didn't see. That's the problem with 'knowing the future': the future isn't set in stone. It can twist and bend, and even when you think you know what's going to happen, there's no sure way of knowing it will, or that you might make it worse by trying to change it. And on top of that, the scenario might only look bad; that you fall into the river, but it might lead to something better; that you are rescued by the love of your life who you would not have met otherwise."

Robin blinked again. "Your words are confusing, but I think I understand. But what did you mean when you said you would mess up if the guard had taken you?"

"The Sheriff is going to talk to Clara. He's going to show her the Sonic. Clara can use her... charms to get the advantage, and some intel. Me, on the other hand, would probably have made him sick and gotten us all killed if I tried."

The Doctor sighed, getting Robin's attention. "Ember has a very low value of herself. She doesn't think she's important, even with what she knows."

"Ah, but my Lady, please do not see yourself so worthless. For you have given me inspiration." The Prince of Theives smiled at Ember before he turned to the Doctor again. "Moan. Loud."

The Doctor blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Moan. Beat your breast. No, groan as though twenty devils possessed your guts."

"What for?"

"So as to attract the attention of that gargoyle-faced guard."

The Doctor gave him a flat look. "It's your plan. You moan."

"No, no. No, it won't work."

"Why?"

"Oh, because you're clearly more advanced in years and you have a sickly aspect to you."

"I have a what?"

"You're as pale as milk! It's the way with Scots. They're strangers to vegetables."

"I'm not moaning. You moan!"

"Fine. If you want something doing..." Robin took a breath and moaned loudly. "Can I rely upon you to do the rest?"

"Yes, yes, I know the drill."

After another moment of Robin moaning loudly, the grill on the door opened and the guard leaned in. "What is this din?"

"No business of yours, cur!" The Doctor said to him before saying to Robin "Speak up. I can't hear you."

"What ails him?"

"None of your business!"

The guard finally opened the door and entered. "I said, what ails him?"

"Well, if you must know, he's having a nervous breakdown."

"A what?"

"He's like this whenever he's in any kind of danger. He just can't seem to cope. He gets so afraid. He goes into a kind of fit. I honestly believe that he may die of sheer fright, like some tiny, shivering little mouse." He looked at Robin as though challenging him to say otherwise. The man grunted in pretend discomfort. "Oh, God, I think he's soiled himself!"

"Let him die." The guard said, turning to leave. "It will save us the trouble of executing him."

"And what will happen to the reward?" Ember called quickly.

The guard paused, turning back to face them. "Reward?"

"Oh, God, you shouldn't have said that..." the Doctor feigned frustration, egging the guard on.

"Tell me!"

"He carries a vital message. The Prince has promised a bounty."

"A big one?"

"An enormous one."

Robin mumbled, drawing the guard to lean closer. "What's that? Say again?"

"Come closer..." Robin rasped, waiting until the guard was barely a foot away from his face before he dropped the act and said flatly "Your breath stinks like a serpent, has anyone ever told you that?"

With that, Robin gave the guard a solid headbutt, knocking the man out cold.

"And that, my friends, is a Glasgow Kiss." Ember said, having winced at the sound.

Robin sent her a smile before looking at the Doctor. "Soiled myself?"

"Did you? That's getting into character." The Doctor replied smoothly, and then looked for the keys that had fallen to the ground. "Okay, keys."

"I'll get them." Robin said, shuffling his foot along with the Doctor.

"No, no. I'll get them."

"I'll get them! I'll get them!"

"I'm fine, no, no worries. I've got them!"

Ember sighed at the exchange, unsurprised when their competing feet ended up kicking the keys down the drain. The two stilled as they listened to the keys clinking before landing in water.

"Well, there is a bright side." The Doctor said after a moment.

"Which is?"

"Clara didn't see that."

Ember snorted. "But I did. Now, since we're gonna be stuck together for a while, maybe we should leave while we have the chance?"

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Robin asked.

"The chain is connected to those bricks, right? If we can't get rid of the chains yet, we have to take the bricks."

* * *

It was surprisingly easy to remove the bricks that the chain loops were attached to. Ember had offered to share the burden of carrying them, but Robin was adamant that he could do it alone, though it was obviously painful to do so. The Doctor offered no help, and they were now trying to sneak through the passageways of the lower castle.

"Now what?" Robin grunted as the Doctor and Ember checked a corner.

"First, a blacksmith's forge."

"So as to remove our chains?"

"No. So I can knock up an ornamental plant stand. Of course it's so we can get rid of our chains. I don't want to be manacled to you all night, and I don't want Ember to be attached to you either." The Doctor scowled as Robin began to chuckle. "Oh, no. Please, don't do that."

"Ornamental plant stand..."

"It's not even that funny."

"You're an amusing fellow, Doctor."

"Oh, don't. Can you just stop! You'll give yourself a hernia."

Ember smiled. She knew that deep down, the Doctor was as amused as she was.

A short time later, after a spout of luck in finding a blacksmith's forge and freeing themselves of the chains, the Doctor, Ember and Robin came up some steps when they spotted something out of the ordinary: a metal doorway.

The Doctor led them through it, and the area within was long, spartan and metal with a glowing hemisphere on a console at the end.

"At last." The Doctor breathed. "Something real. No more fairy tales."

"What is this place?" Robin asked, looking around.

"A spaceship. More twenty ninth century than twelfth. Data banks, data banks, data banks." The Doctor moved to the console and pressed a few buttons to activate it. "Where was this ship headed?"

Numbers and letters flitted across the screen before it gave an answer. Destination: The Promised Land

"The Promised Land again. Like the Half-Faced Man, but more sophisticated." The Doctor explained as the screen showed a graphic of the spaceship landing with point upwards to become the central Keep. "It disguised itself as a twelfth century castle. It merges into the culture, tries to keep a low profile, so no one notices. That explains the robot knights." He moved to a large dome next to the console. "But the engines. The engines are damaged. They're leaking radiation into the local atmosphere, creating a temporary climate of staggering benevolence."

Robin looked at him. "I beg pardon?"

"I told you. It's too sunny. It's too green. And there is even an evil sheriff to oppress the locals. This explains everything, even you."

"It does?"

The Doctor started to circle him, even as Ember shook her head. "Well, what does every oppressed peasant workforce need? The illusion of hope. Some silly story to get them through the day, lull them into docility, and keep them working. Ship's data banks. Full of every myth and legend you could hope for, including... Robin Hood."

Robin looked like he was about to scoff, but his eye caught the screen as it began displaying every bit of information about the Prince of Theives, including artwork and even a photograph or two of actors who'd played the role. The young man looked on in confusion and shock as his whole life was displayed before his eyes. Ember moved and gently put her hand on his arm, and he blindly put his free hand over hers in search of something to ground him.

"Isn't it time you came clean with me?" The Doctor said, tensing as he saw Robin's hand tighten over Ember's. He stepped closer, forcing the young man back and away from the screen to look at him in disbelief. "You're not real and you know it. Look at you. Perfect eyes, perfect teeth. Nobody has a jawline like that."

"Doctor..." Ember tried to cut in, but the Doctor ignored her.

"You're as much a part of what is happening here as the Sheriff and his metal knights. You're a robot."

Robin snapped out of his shock and glared at the Doctor. "You dare to accuse me of collusion with that villain, the Sheriff?"

"I dare."

"You false-tongued knave! I should have skewered you when I had the chance!"

"I would like to see you try!"

Before anything could happen, the metal door they'd come through suddenly exploded into sparks, falling inwards.

The Doctor turned to face the new arrivals: The Sheriff, Clara and a couple of knights. "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Surrender, outlaw." The Sheriff demanded.

"Very good."

"Kill him. Kill Robin Hood!"

"You can drop all that stuff now, Sheriff."

Clara looked at him in confusion as the knights ignored the Doctor and went towards Robin. "Doctor?"

"He is not what you think he is. This is all play-acting."

"We can't just let them kill him!" Clara cried, pulling herself from the Sheriff's hold and running to help Robin.

"You're not fooling anyone, Sheriff!" The Doctor said, seemingly not caring as a blast from a knight knocked Robin off his feet. The blast had left a while in the fake window to led outside.

Clara moved to stand between him and the attacker, only to tense when Robin grabbed her around the waist and they backed up to the broken window. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Surviving." Was his response before he pulled them both out of the window.

Now the Doctor moved, far too late to do anything. "No! Clara!"

He and the Sheriff ran to the hole and looked down at the moat. There was no sign of Robin or Clara, the full moon reflected in the rippling water.

"Yeah, sorry about the girl." The Sheriff said at last, not sounding sincere. "Such a pretty thing. What a queen she would have made."

As the Sheriff moved away from the hole, the Doctor spotted Robin climb out of the other side of the moat with Clara in his arms. He turned away from the window to look at the Sheriff as he patted a cloth on an unseen scuff on one of the knights.

"Stop pretending. You and your fancy robots. I get it. I understand."

"Oh, so you too know my plans?" The Sheriff asked.

"You and your robots plundering the surrounding countryside for all it's worth." Suddenly it all clicked into place. "Gold. Gold. Of course. Gold. You are creating a matrix of gold to repair the engine circuitry."

"This is the scheme the Mechanicals have devised. Soon this skyship will depart. Destination, London. There I will obliterate the King and take my rightful place as ruler of this sceptred isle."

The Doctor shook his head. "It won't work. There's not a chance. I've seen the instruments. There's been too much damage. You are stoking up a gigantic bomb!"

The sheriff shushed him and gestured to the side. The Doctor followed the point, only to see a knight's metal fist rushing at him before it went dark, the last thing he heard was Ember's cry.

* * *

"Engine capacity at forty eight percent. Engine capacity at forty eight percent."

The Doctor was lulled back into consciousness at the sound of a male, robotic voice making an announcement. He struggled to sit up, relieved to see that Ember was still beside him, though they were both chained once again, only this time they were in a different section of the castle: the Keep, where the new circuits were being made from melted gold.

"It's not enough. That's not enough." The Doctor muttered as he finally sat up, hearing groans and wails around them along with mechanical thumping. "It'll never make orbit. That's the engines, building in power. Stupid, stupid Sheriff. Argh! Go on, give! Give, you stupid things." He spotted a young woman with dark hair watching him from where she was sat nearby. "What are you looking at?"

"This is Marian," Ember said.

Marian nodded. "Your friend has explained it as best she could, but I think I understand you. The Sheriff's using the gold to replace something."

"That's the principle. But he's a moron. If he tries to fly this ship, it'll explode and wipe out half the country." The Doctor let the two young women go to his side to help free him of the chains. "What we need is a little riot. Time to reflect on lasers and gold. Spread the word."

As Marian went to do just that, the Doctor looked at Ember. "Any hints?"

"You ask me that now?" She said. "Well, you were half right. The part you were wrong about is Robin."

A short time later, after Marian had succeeded in spreading the message, one of the knights approached the trio.

"You are fit for labour." It said, meaning the Doctor. "Stand aside while this peasant unit is freed."

"I'm afraid you're a little late." The Doctor said.

"Explain."

"I'm already free!"

The cross on the knight's face powered up, sending a light beam at the Doctor. The Doctor quickly retaliated by grabbing a nearby golden plate to reflect the beam. The first shot missed, but a second shot aimed at and reflected by Marian hit the knight in the neck, taking off the head and sending the body crumbling to the ground. More knights came, but all the workers had plates for shields. After some teamwork and quick reflexes, the knights were taken down.

"Out, out!" The Doctor called, letting the others get out on their own. "Everyone, quickly, get out. Quickly!"

"You've saved us all, clever one!" Marion kissed him on the cheek as she moved to follow. "Thank you!"

The Doctor looked surprised as he touched his cheek and looked at Ember.

"A hero that they needed." She said with a smile.

"Engine capacity at eighty two percent." The mechanical voice announced.

"You are indeed an ingenious fellow, Doctor." The Sheriff draw their attention to where he'd entered the room with two more knights. "But do you really think your peasants' revolt can stop me?"

"I rather think you're the revolting one around here." The Doctor blinked, off track for a moment. "I'm bantering. I'm bantering! Listen to me. You don't have enough gold content to seal the engine breach. If you try and take off, you'll wipe out half of England."

The Sheriff picked up a knight's head and walked over to a crucible. "Liar! From my sky vessel, I shall rule omnipotent."

"You pudding-headed primitive, shut down the engines! What you're doing will alter the course of history!"

"I sincerely hope so, or I wouldn't be bothering." The Sheriff threw the head into the crucible, gesturing to the two knights to approach.

"Listen to me! It doesn't have to end like this. Shut it all down, return Clara to me and I'll do what I can-"

"I don't have Clara!"

"Robin's one of yours!"

That got the Sheriff's attention, making him hold up a hand to stop the knights' advance. "What did you say?"

"He's one of your tin-headed puppets, just like these brutes here."

"Robin Hood is not one of mine."

"Of course he is! He's a robot, created by your mechanical mates."

"Why would they do that?"

"To pacify the locals, give them false hope. He's the opiate of the masses."

"Why would we create an enemy to fight us? What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea."

"Yes! Yes, it would. Wouldn't it?" The Doctor suddenly realised that he was right. "Yes, that would be a rubbish idea. Why would you do that?"

"Maybe they were going to," Ember said. "But maybe someone stepped up to take the place before it could be filled."

"But he can't be..." The Doctor said. "He's not real. He's a legend!"

"Too kind!" Robin's voice led them to look up at the gallery above, to see the man himself stood there. "And this legend does not come alone!"

Clara popped up from behind him with a grin. "Hiya!"

Robin stuck a dagger into a wall hanging and used it to slide down with Clara holding on to him.

"You all right?" He asked Clara when they were back on their feet.

"Hell, yeah."

"Good." Robin grabbed his dagger and flung it at the Sheriff, who was thrown off while the hero drew his sword. "My men have taken the castle."

"No!" The Sheriff said as he pulled something out of his robes. A medallion of sorts.

"Now I'm going to take you."

"This one's all mine." With a press of the medallion, the two knights guarding the Sheriff were deactivated. "What do you say, outlaw? A final reckoning?"

"Oh, yes."

As the two prepared to battle, Clara ran over to Ember and the Doctor, the latter asking "Are you okay?"

"Fine, yeah." She replied with a grin.

"Good. We don't have long."

The Keep began to rumble and shake, signalling the final preparations for take off.

"I shall avenge every slight, outlaw." The Sheriff yelled as he fought with Robin, ignoring the shaking.

"Doctor..." Clara murmured.

"I know. The whole castle's about to blow!"

The Sheriff thrust his sword, but was deflected by Robin's own. "You have long been a thorn in my side!"

"Well, everyone should have a hobby." Robin replied breezily. "Mine's annoying you."

"I'll have you boiled in oil at the castle by sunset!"

"Can we make it a little earlier? Cos that's a little past my bedtime." Robin grabbed a rope and cut it free with his sword, taking him up onto a wooden crossbeam above them, over the huge cauldron of molten gold.

The Sheriff went to a second rope and did the same trick, landing on the same beam. "I'm too much for you, outlaw! The first of a new breed. Half man, half engine! Never ageing! Never tiring!"

Robin rolled his eyes as he blocked blow after blow. "Are you still talking?"

The Sheriff, enraged, swung again, and this time caught Robin on his right bicep and making him drop his sword.

Seeing the weapon land at their feet, Clara was about to run forward when Ember grabbed her arm. "Clara, wait, he's ok! Robin! Remember your dip in the stream?"

Robin, who had a hand over his wound, looked down at them for a moment before realisation dawned on his face. He faced the Sheriff again and held his arms out to his sides; exactly how the Doctor had done back in the forest.

"Bow down before your new king, you Prince of Knaves!" The Sheriff tried to run him through with his sword, only for Robin to turn at the last moment so that they were stood back to back. Instead of using his butt, though, Robin kicked the back of the Sheriff's knee, sending him off the beam. "Argh!"

The Doctor, Ember, Clara and Robin watched as the Sheriff fell into the crucible, the sound of hissing filling the air. Robin used another rope to get back down to ground level, holding his wound again.

"Sorry." He said. "Was that, er, was that showing off?"

"That was amazing!" Clara said, only to get cut off as the building shook again, much harder than before, chunks of masonry falling.

"Run! Come on, run!" The Doctor yelled, grabbing Ember by the hand.

She was able to glance back for a moment, and couldn't help a pang of satisfaction when she got a brief glimpse of gold-covered hands sticking out of the crucible.

Their escape was quick, so much so that Ember was surprised that they'd made it, and were now with the Merry Men and the former prisoners across the moat as they watched the castle crumble, revealing the original spaceship as it attempted to take flight.

"It's never going to make it. Not enough gold. It'll never make it into orbit." The Doctor turned to Robin. "Where is it? Where did it go?"

Clara blinked, puzzled. "Where did what go?"

"The golden arrow!"

Robin immediately understood. "Tuck!"

The Doctor faltered for barely a moment as the man handed over the arrow. "You took it?"

"Of course we did." Tuck said. "We're robbers."

"I love you boys!"

"Doctor, what are you suggesting?" Clara asked.

"Golden arrow. It might just be enough gold content to get the ship into orbit and out of harm's way." The Doctor held the bow out to Robin.

"No, it has to be you!" He said. "My arm is injured!"

"No, he can't!" Ember said as the Doctor tried to aim, only for the arrow to keep waving off the bow.

"You're good at this. I saw you. You won the tournament!" Clara said.

The Doctor shrugged. "I cheated. I made a special arrow with a homing device."

"Oh, brilliant." Clara grabbed the bow and arrow. "Right, let me have a go."

"You? You do Tae Kwon Do! That's not the same thing as this!"

"My friends," Robin cut in. "Surely we can manage it together?"

Sitting on the ground, the Doctor and Clara held each end of the bow while Robin braced it with his feet. Ember was behind him to help him stay sitting up by allowing him to lean against her. He pulled back the bowstring and after a moment, released the golden arrow. It hit the spaceship directly, sending it into the sky and nearly out of sight just before it exploded. The crowd cheered.

"One awful day in Nottingham, Brave Robin Hood was in a jam." Alan sang, strumming his lute. "The arrow flew it true-ah!"

Will had yanked the instrument out of his hands. "Give it a rest, Alan."

"Give me my lute!"

Clara giggled as the crowd laughed at the antics, and then she saw that the Doctor was not laughing. "Still not keen on the laughing thing?"

"No, no, no, no." He said, pursing his lips.

Clara laughed, along with Robin. The Doctor glanced to his side, saw Ember also laughing, and couldn't help a slight smile that he thought had gone unnoticed, but one set of keen eyes did.

* * *

Back at the stream where the Tardis was waiting, Robin was giving Clara a rather personal archery lesson, standing very close to her to assist her aim. Her arrow hit the target; a flag with an ornate boar face on it.

"Woo-hoo!" She cried, jumping to hug Robin. She pulled back to pat the man on the shoulder. "I'm going to miss you. You're very naughty."

"Oh, I know." He said, guiding her to stand at the front of the Tardis. He looked over to where the Doctor was saying his goodbyes to the Merry Men and where Ember was walking over the small bridge where the two men had fought at the beginning, holding her arms out like she was trying to balance on it even though it obviously wasn't necessary. "Whoever he is, he is a very lucky man. And his... companion is just as mystical as he is."

Clara glanced over as well before facing Robin. "Marian is very lucky, too."

Robin hesitated, his face falling. "I fear not."

"Don't give up. Not ever. Not for one single day." She gently kissed his cheek. "Be safe, if you can be. But always be amazing."

"Hmm."

"Goodbye, Robin Hood."

"Goodbye, Clara Oswald."

Clara moved to enter the Tardis, pausing only to wink at him and make him chuckle before she disappeared inside. The Doctor chose then to approach.

"So, is it true, Doctor?" Robin asked.

The Doctor tilted his head. "Is what true?"

"That in the future I am forgotten as a real man? I am but a legend?"

"I'm afraid it is."

"Hmm. Good. History is a burden." Robin looked at Ember again, watching as she squatted down to look at something in the flowing stream. "Stories can make us fly."

"I'm still having a little trouble believing yours, I'm afraid." The Doctor said, drawing his attention back to himself.

Robin looked at him for a long moment. "Is it so hard to credit? That a man born into wealth and privilege should find the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear..."

"No..."

"Until one night he is moved to steal a Tardis?" Robin continued, making the Doctor look at him in surprise. "Fly among the stars, fighting the good fight. With your Ember, blazing by your side to light your way as only she can. Worshipping her existence just as she treasures yours. Clara told me your stories."

The Doctor glanced over to make sure that Ember was still clear out of earshot from the bridge, hoping that she hadn't somehow heard, before giving Robin a glare. "She should not have told you any of that."

"Well. Well, once the story started, she could hardly stop herself. You and Ember are her heroes, I think."

"I'm not a hero." The Doctor dismissed, moving to the Tardis. "Ember! We're going!"

Robin watched Ember quickly stand and wave goodbye to the Merry Men. "Well, neither am I. But if we both keep pretending to be. Ha-ha!" He turned to face the Doctor as Ember reached them. "Perhaps others will be heroes in our name. Perhaps we will both be stories. And may those stories never end."

Robin held out his hand. After a moment, the Doctor accepted the handshake. Robin was even able to lean in to peck Ember on the cheek, making her blush and smile.

"Goodbye, Doctor, Ember." He said. "Time Lords of Gallifrey."

"Goodbye, Robin Hood, Earl of Loxley."

"And remember, Doctor. I'm just as real as you are."

The Doctor stepped into the Tardis. Ember was about to follow, only to pause and look at the Prince of Theives.

"Did you hear the sound this box made as it arrived?" She asked. Robin nodded. "The most common word people use to describe it would be... hope. Keep that in mind, and don't look away."

She stepped into the Tardis, closing the door behind her. She turned to lean her back against the door, watching as Clara smiled at the Doctor.

"Admit it." She said. "You like him."

"Well, I'm leaving him a present, aren't I?" The Doctor said, pulling a lever to set the Tardis into flight. Ember moved to look at the monitor just in time to see Robin and Marian joyfully reunite, a smile blooming on her face as she watched Robin then proceed to send an arrow into the sky in their honour.

Unbeknownst to her, the Doctor was watching her, his own small smile on his face.

* * *

And there we have it! A day later than I'd planned, but got a huge abscess in my jaw over the weekend that made me really ill, so I've only just finished editing it.

Next Time: Ember reaches breaking point when she's confronted by her deepest fears.


	11. Chapter 11: The God Complex

Here's eleven! I'm liking that lots of people are following this now - it means I'm doing a good job so far! Would be nice to hear from you, though: a little review goes a long way!

Quick note: I intend to skip certain episodes that don't have much of the Doctor in it. For example, the episode 'Love and Monsters' won't be written because I've struggled to adapt it to have Ember in it. If you have any advice for a future one, such as 'Blink' or 'Turn Left', I'd greatly appreciate it

Now, on with the chapter!

* * *

After spending a few days with Clara and the Twelth Doctor, Ember had jumped to Rose and Ten, having a casual adventure that involved a pork chop loving Hoix, an alien that absorbed people and a young man named Elton. What disappointed Ember was that for all the work 'LINDA' did, there was very little information about her, none of it being anything she didn't already know.

Ember squeaked as she landed on solid ground, thankful that she'd been able to get at least half dressed and close enough to grab her shirt and jacket before she'd jumped. She'd just had a shower, and the last thing she wanted was to jump with only a towel on. That would be humiliating. As it was, she didn't have her shoes, which left her in black socks that were partially covered with her dark blue jeans to match her black long-sleeved top and the light blue denim jacket she'd managed to snag before she jumped. Luckily, even if anyone saw her, she was wearing a black sports bra, so she was at least decent.

Her mind went back to what she was doing before she'd jumped. She'd just gotten out of the shower, and was in the process of getting dressed when she spotted her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were a slightly lighter grey now, looking more silver than ever, and the skin on her left bicep had darkened even more, forming an almost perfect circle that could be mistaken for a deep bruise now. It wasn't clear yet, but it looked like a pattern was forming in the circle...

Shaking her head to get back on track and pulling the shirt on, she looked around and was puzzled to find herself in the hallway of what looked to be a hotel. Doors were spaced evenly with shiny brass plates on them that showed the room number. She was next to a flight of stairs that led up and down. Pictures of people - various species, from what she could see - lined the walls with a small label saying their name. Each person was smiling and dressed in a white shirt and striped tie like they'd all gone to the same school.

Ember stopped taking in the decor when she heard voices, coming from the stairs below her but getting closer and louder.

"We'll pop back to the Tardis, I'll do a planet-wide diagnostic sweep, and then we'll have a sing song."

Ember smiled, shrugging on her jacket. That was Eleven. She moved to the stair rail and leaned over in time to see the Doctor with Amy and Rory, along with three new people.

The first was a young, dark-skinned woman in blue hospital scrubs. Ember remembered that this was Rita.

Next was a young man, probably in his teens, with glasses. Howie.

The last was what looked like a humanoid mole person wearing a black suit. Ember couldn't remember the name of the species, but she was sure his name was Gibbis.

The group were just about reaching the flight of stairs that led to her, so she moved to stand right in the middle at the top of the stairs and folded her arms.

"And just what time do you call this?" She suddenly boomed, and laughed when everyone jumped and gave a variety of screams and squeaks in surprise. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"Ember!" The Doctor ran up the remaining steps to sweep her in for a hug. "When did you get here?"

"A minute ago." Ember squirmed in his hold to face Amy and Rory, who were smiling at her predicament. "Hi, guys."

Rory nodded as Amy distractedly returned the greeting, since something else had caught her attention. "Where's the Tardis? You parked it here, didn't you?"

The Doctor released Ember to look at the spot he knew the Tardis had been, noticing now that the box was gone. "Ember, you didn't move it, did you?"

"Move it? I don't even know how to drive it." Ember replied, finally free of the Doctor's hold to walk down the steps to the others. "And even if I did, I wouldn't move it without telling you."

"What's a Tardis?" Howie asked, puzzled.

"Our way out." Rory replied, crestfallen. "And it's gone."

The Doctor looked up at a speaker in the corner of the ceiling as corny music started playing from it. "Okay, this is bad. At the moment, I don't know how bad, but certainly we're three buses, a long walk and eight quid in a taxi from good. Are there any more of you?"

Rita nodded. "Joe. But he's tied up right now."

"Doing what?"

Ember shook her head. "She doesn't mean he's busy."

Rita glanced at her, but nodded. "She's right. I mean he's _tied_ _up_ right now."

Curiousity peaked, the Doctor, Amy, Rory and Ember followed Rita and the others back downstairs and to a set of double doors that had the word 'Restaurant' on a brass plate above them. When she opened them, the travelers were partly confused and partly disturbed at the sight before them.

The restaurant's dining room would have looked homey and inviting if it wasn't for the fact that all of the chairs in the area were occupied by wooden ventriloquist dummies, and all of them were laughing. Only one seat didn't have a dummy, but it was instead occupied by a middle-aged man in a fancy suit, tied to the back of the chair with rope. It didn't take a genius to guess that this was Joe.

The dummies fell silent at their arrival, turning their heads towards them with the creepy wood-creaking sounds that made goosebumps appear on their skin.

The Doctor was the first to move, working his way around the dining tables until he was in front of the man tied to his seat. The others followed tentively. "Hello. I'm the Doctor."

Joe just grinned, looking almost insane. "We're going to die here."

"Well, they certainly didn't mention that in the brochure." The Doctor muttered, grabbing a chair that suddenly didn't have a dummy in it. "Is Joe there? Can I have a quick word?"

"Oh, it's still me, Doctor, but I've seen the light. I lived a blasphemous life, but he has forgiven my inconstancy, and soon he shall feast."

The Doctor picked up on the 'he' quickly. "Well, you've been here two days. What's he waiting for?"

"We weren't ready. We were still raw."

"But now you're what... cooked?"

"If you like. Soon you will be, too. Be patient. First, find your room."

"My room?"

"There's a room here for everyone, Doctor. Even you."

The Doctor had noticed the horseshoe tie clip and dice cuff links. "You said you'd seen the light now."

"Nothing else matters anymore. Only him. It's like these things." Joe gestured with his head to the dummies around them. "I used to hate them. They make me laugh now. Gottle o' geer! Gottle o' geer!"

He laughed, and the dummies joined in.

Ember shivered. "Not a fan of dolls."

Joe either didn't hear her or didn't care. "You should go. He'll be here soon."

The Doctor gave him a tight smile, spotting a luggage trolley nearby. "I think you should come with me."

After using the trolley to lift Joe, chair and all, the Doctor led them back to reception.

"Why you four?" He asked. "That's what I don't understand. Aside from all the other things I don't understand."

Gibbis shrugged as the Doctor reached over to turn the radio off again. "What does it matter? Sooner or later, someone will come along and rescue us. Or enslave us."

The Doctor ignored the last bit. "First, we find the Tardis. Quick thing before we go: If you feel drawn to a particular room, do not go in, and make sure someone else can see you at all times."

"Joe said, he will feast." Rita mused. "Is there something here with us?"

The Doctor glanced at Ember, who spared him a nod as she rummaged through the drawers of the reception desk, but before he could speak, Joe began to chuckle to himself. "Something to add, Joe?"

Joe looked at them, a crazed look in his eyes. "Here comes a candle to light you to bed. Here comes a chopper to chop off your head. Chop, chop, chop, chop."

"Can we do something about him?" Howie asked.

Ember stood up and revealed a length of duct tape. "Way ahead of you."

* * *

The group were now on the first floor, looking for the Tardis. Joe now had his mouth taped shut and was being wheeled by Gibbis.

"Personally, I think you've got the right idea." He said to the restained man. "Times like this, I think of my old school motto. Resistance Is Exhausting."

Ember moved to walk with the Doctor, leaving Rory to talk to Howie. "This is a labyrinth. If the one controlling it doesn't want us to find the Tardis, we won't find it."

"Is that a hint?" The Doctor asked, running his fingers of what looked like grooves scratched into the ceiling. He'd been touching almost everything, searching for any fault in the illusion.

"Yea. What are labyrinths best known for, other than be never ending?"

Before the Doctor could reply, the door to room 158 opened and a man stepped out. He was in his underwear and vest, and had a whistle around his neck.

"Hello." The Doctor said.

"Have you forgotten your PE kit again?" The man raised his voice. "Right, that's it, you're doing it in your pants!"

Without another word, the man stepped back into the room he'd come from and closed the door, leaving the group blinking in bewilderment.

"Everyone has a room." Ember said. "That's not one of ours."

The Doctor turned to reply, only to catch sight of Howie reaching for door 155. "Hey! Don't!"

He was too late. Howie opened the door. Inside, several pretty girls were giggling among themselves on the bed.

One of the girls, blonde haired, spotted them in the doorway and grinned. "Oh, look, girls, it's H-H-H-Howie!"

"What's loser in K-K-K-Klingon?" A brunette asked, making the girls giggle again.

Howie practically threw himself back out of the room, leaning against the far wall. "Shut the d-d-d, the door." He was shaking as Amy moved to do as he asked. "This is just some m-m-messed up CIA stuff, I'm-I'm-I'm telling you!"

The Doctor put an arm around him and led him away. "You're right. Keep telling yourself that. It's a CIA thing, nothing more."

"Howie," Ember moved to walk on the other side. "It's okay. You conquered that fear."

Howie barely acknowledged her, and Ember sighed, knowing he was already being converted.

They moved to the second floor, and Ember purposely ignored the scattered pieces of paper on the floor, knowing that Amy would find them.

"Look," the redhead began, only to be cut off by a loud roar from down the corridor. "Okay, whatever that is, it's not real, yeah?"

Ember shook her head as the Doctor replied. "No. No, I'm sure it isn't, but just in case, let's run away and hide anyway. In here!"

Rita pulled Joe's chair into one room while the rest went into another, though there was a momentary distraction as Rory had tried to show them an exit he'd seen only for it to vanish.

The Doctor pulled Rory into the room and shut the door, only to turn around and jump at the sight of stone statues of angels in the room. "Eek!"

"Don't blink." Amy said, keeping her gaze on the statues but not meeting the eyes.

Howie looked at her in confusion. "What?"

The lights flickered, allowing the Angels to move forward a bit.

"Amy, get back." The Doctor pulled her by the arm, then blinked. "Why haven't they got us yet?"

"They're fake!" Ember shouted, moving forward to wave her hand through the body of the nearest Angel.

"What?"

The Doctor turned Amy to face him. "They should have got us by now. Amy, look at me. Focus on me. It's your bad dream, that's all."

"I don't even think they're for us." Rory said, spotting Giggis hiding in the nearby wardrobe.

The sound of something stomping in the hallway made Amy look towards the door, only to frown when she saw the Doctor already at it. "Doctor, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, I just have to see what it is. I just have to see." He looked through the peephole in the door, catching the distorted shape of a huge beast stomping past the door. "Oh, look at you. Oh, you are beautiful. Oh, dear. I think it's going after Joe."

"I could have told you that!" Ember snapped, now ignoring the harmless Angels.

Before the Doctor could reply, they heard Joe yelling from somewhere, calling the beast to him. When it suddenly grew quiet, the Doctor slowly opened the door and looked out, just in time to see a shadow turning the corner at the end of the corridor. "Leave him alone! Joe!"

Ember took off after the Doctor as soon as he ran off, following him as he followed noises, until they stopped in another corridor. Before them, Joe was slumped against the wall.

"Joe! Joe!" The Doctor ran to him and checked for signs of life, only to stop when it was clear that the man was dead. Ember moved slowly to stand next to him and put her hand in his shoulder.

* * *

A kettle boiled in the small kitchen of the restaurant. The group had made their way back to the dining hall section, where the Doctor laid out Joe's body and was scanning it with his Sonic. The dummies that had been in the room earlier had mysteriously moved to sit in neat rows near the body, which was a small blessing.

The others were either sitting and thinking - Amy and Gibbis - or were trying to barricade themselves in - Rory and Howie.

Rita, after making tea, approached the Doctor and Ember, who was sat in a chair nearby. The brunette had refused tea. "What exactly happened to him?"

"He died." The Doctor replied without looking up.

"You are a medical doctor, aren't you? You haven't just got a degree in cheese-making or something."

"No! Well, yes, both, actually. I mean, there is no cause." The Doctor sat back, having accepted the offered tea without thinking. "All his vital organs simply stopped, as if the simple spark of life, his loves and hates, his faiths and fears were just taken... and this is a cup of tea."

Rita gave a small smile. "Of course, I'm British, it's how we cope with trauma. That and tutting."

"But how did you make it?"

"All hotels should have a well stocked kitchen, even alien fake ones. I heard you talking when you arrived. Look, it's no more ridiculous than Howie's CIA theory. Or mine."

"Which is?"

"This is Jahannam."

The Doctor's face dawned in realisation. "You're a Muslim."

"Don't be frightened."

Ember shrugged. "Religion is religion. They're all the same to me. Be good, go to heaven. Be bad, go to hell. Same principles, different labels."

Rita looked thoughtful. "That's an interesting way to put it."

"You think this is Hell?" The Doctor asked.

"The whole '80s hotel thing took me by surprise, though."

"And all these fears and phobias wandering about, most are completely unconnected to us, so why are they still here?"

"Maybe the cleaners have gone on strike."

"Ha! I like you. You're a right clever clogs. But this isn't Hell, Rita."

Rita shook her head. "You don't understand. I say that without fear. Jahannam will play its tricks, and there'll be times when I want to run and scream, but I've tried to live a good life, and that knowledge keeps me sane, despite the monsters and the bonkers rooms." She glanced to the side, where Amy and Gibbis were talking. "Gibbis is an alien, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

"...Okay. I'm going to file that under Freak Out About Later."

Amy suddenly stood up, remembering what she'd found earlier. "Doctor, look at this. I found it in a corridor, I completely forgot I had it."

The Doctor took the scraps of paper from her tapped her on the head with it before he began to read aloud. "Er, my name is Lucy Hayward and I'm the last one left. It took Luke first. It got him on his first day, almost as soon as we arrived. It's funny. You don't know what's going to be in your room until you see it, then you realise it could never have been anything else. I just saw mine. It was a gorilla from a book I'd read as a kid. My God, that thing used to terrify me. The gaps between my worships are getting shorter, like contractions. This is what happened to the others, and how lucky they were. It's all so clear now. I'm so happy... Praise him."

"Praise him." Howie repeated, seemingly not realising he spoke until he had as he arranged the cutlery in front of him.

The Doctor looked at him sharply, as did the others. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing!" Howie hesitated, like he was trying not to speak, but then the words just blurted out. "Praise him!"

Gibbis leaned back in his chair as Howie threw his own hands over his mouth. "This is what happened to Joe!"

Howie was panicking now. "God, it's going to come for me now!"

"You'll lead it right here!"

The Doctor moved to Howie's side, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "I won't leave you. I promise you. You have my word on that."

"I don't want to get eaten." The terrified teen whimpered.

"Calm down!" Amy attempted.

"He's going to lead the creature right here!" Gibbis wasn't helping.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Everyone stopped yelling and shouting as soon as Ember had practically exploded. No one seemed to have expected the young woman to yell that loud.

The Doctor sent her a grateful look. "Thank you."

"Don't you see?" Gibbis said, though much quieter now. "He'll lead it right here."

Rita looked at him. "What do you suggest?"

"Look, whatever it is out there, it's obviously chosen Howard as its next course. Now, tragic though that is, this is no time for sentiment. I'm saying if it were to find him, it may be satisfied and let the rest of us go." He looked around for support, only to falter when he got none.

"I so want to hit you right now." Was all Ember said, her voice flat. "All I need to do is decide what to hit you with."

Gibbis shook his head as he moved to sit down. "All I want to do is go home and be conquered and oppressed. Is that too much to ask?!"

"It's okay. I'll stay with Howie." Rita said at last. "You take the others and go."

"No. We stay together." The Doctor stood and approached Gibbis, who was starting to tremble in his seat. "Your civilisation is one of the oldest in the galaxy. Now I see why. Your cowardice isn't quaint, it's sly, aggressive. It's how that gene of gutlessness has survived while so many others have perished. Well, not today. No one else dies today. Right?" The alien shakily nodded. "Brilliant."

He returned to Howie and gently guided him into a chair. "Howie, any second, it's going to possess you again. When it does, I'm going to ask you some questions. Please try to answer them."

Howie nodded distractedly. "I hope my mum's all right, she's going to be w-worried..."

"Howie?" The Doctor noticed the boy's eyes suddenly go glassy and a look of bliss came across his face. "Howie... Howie, you're next. We're all dead jealous. So, tell us. How do we get a piece of the action? Why isn't he possessing all of us?"

"You guys have got all these distractions, all these obstacles." Howie tapped his head. "It'd be so much easier if you just let it go, you know? Clear the path."

Amy looked at him in surprise. "You want it to find you even though you know what it's going to do?"

"Are you kidding? He's going to kill us all. How cool is that?"

The Doctor stood and moved a few feet away, followed by the others. Ember stayed by Howie. "It's as I thought. It feeds on fear. Everything, the rooms, Lucy's note, even the pictures in reception, has been put here to frighten us. So we have to resist it. Do whatever you have to. Cross your fingers, say a prayer, think of a basket of kittens, but do not give in to the fear."

"Okay, but what are we actually going to do?" Amy asked.

"We're going to catch ourselves a monster."

* * *

_"Bring me death! Bring me glory! My master, my lord, I'm here! Come to me. I'm waiting here for you. He has promised me a glorious death. Give it to me now. I want him to know my devotion!"_

Howie's voice echoed in the corridors, seemingly coming from a spa room. Hiding in the corner, Ember and the Doctor were waiting. Howie's voice was coming from a speaker hidden on one of the seats.

_"Praise him! Praise him!"_ Stomping could be heard, following the sounds until the beast itself lumbered into the room. The doors were closed quickly behind it, thanks to Amy and Rita. _"Let his name be the last thing I hear! Let his breath on my skin be the last thing I feel! I was lost in_ _shadows, but he found me! His love was a beacon that led me from darkness to light, and now I am blinded by his majesty. Humbled by his glory! Praise-"_

The Doctor pulled out some wires, cutting off the speaker. He was using mirrors to throw off the alien to buy more time. "That's quite enough of that."

The creature - Minotaur was probably the best way to describe it - growled as the Doctor stepped into view. "Nothing personal. I just think we should take things slowly. Get to know each other. You take people's most primal fears and pop it in a room. A tailor-made hell, just for them. Why?"

Ember didn't understand the growls, but she already knew what it was saying even as the Doctor translated. "Did you say they take? Ah, what is that word? The guard? No, the warden? This is a prison. So what are we, cell mates? Lunch? We are not ripe. This is what Joe said, that we weren't ready. So, what, what, you make us ready. You what? Replace? Replace what, fear? You have lived so long even your name is lost. You want this to stop. Because you are just instinct. Then tell me. Tell me how to fight you."

For a moment, the Minotaur looked at Ember, who was still in the far corner. Ember herself was puzzled at this, but didn't get a chance to answer as they heard Howie yelling again, this time much closer that they wanted him to be.

"My master, my lord. I'm here!"

The Doctor looked alarmed as the Minotaur turned away, stomping to a glass door on the other side of the room. "No, no, no, no, no! Rory, watch out!"

Amy and Rita burst into the room from the other doors, hearing the Doctor call out for them to stay back as the Minotaur crashed through the glass door, sending Rory flying. After telling Any to bring the fish (where it had come from, Ember didn't know or care), they tried to chase the Minotaur to get to Howie before it did.

Ember didn't follow. She wanted to, but the look the Minotaur had given her made her falter, dropping to her knees. He had growled again, but this time she'd understood what he said.

"Cleanse me. Burn away my sins."

What did he mean by that? And why did he ask _her_?

Ember didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, but the Doctor had returned and knelt beside her. He put his hand in her shoulder to get her attention, concerned when she flinched. She hadn't even realised she'd been crying until she felt her eyes sting. "Howie?"

The Doctor shook his head solemnly, and then gently pulled her to her feet, guiding her to the wrecked doorway.

* * *

The remaining members of the group were back at reception. There was now a photograph of Howie amoung the others. The Doctor had at one point had to physically pull Ember away from Gibbis to stop her from throttling him, hushing her as she sobbed out that the mole-man had let Howie get loose. It was not only for her benefit but his own; he also wanted to hit him.

"Have you found your room yet?" The Doctor asked Rory, who shook his head as they looked at the photos on the wall.

"No. No. Is that good or bad?"

"Maybe you're not scared of anything."

"Everyone is scared of something." Ember said quietly from where she was sat on the stairs. "There's no such thing as fearless. It's not fear this thing wants, but it's the easiest feeling to ignite."

Rory looked thoughtful for a moment, and then shrugged. "Well, after all the time I spent with you in the Tardis, what was left to be scared of?"

"You said that in the past tense." The Doctor pointed out.

"No, I didn't." Rory looked at Howie's photo again. "You know, Howie had been in speech therapy. He'd just got over this massive stammer. What an achievement. I mean, can you imagine? I'd forgotten not all victories are about saving the universe."

The Doctor glanced at Ember again. "Don't I know it..." He began to walk down the stairs, only to nearly crash into Rita at the staircase. "Rita! Brilliant! How are you? Not panicking, are you? Good, good. Because I am literally an otter's toenail away from getting us out of here."

"Why?"

"Excellent question. Excellent question." The Doctor paused where he'd gone past her to turn and face her again. "Why what?"

"Why is it up to you to save us? That's quite a God complex you have there."

The Doctor faltered, glancing back at where Amy and Rory were. "I brought them here. They'd say it was their choice, but offer a child a suitcase full of sweets and they'll take it. Offer someone all of time and space and they'll take that, too. Which is why you shouldn't. Which is why grown-ups were invented."

Rita blinked. "All of time and space, eh?"

"Oh, yeah. And when we get out of this, I'll show you too."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but whatever it was, I have a feeling you just did it again."

The Doctor spotted the CCTV camera in the top corner, getting an idea. "Right down to the smallest detail. Got you, Mister Minotaur."

He ran back downstairs. Rita turned to look up at the camera. She took a breath and then quietly uttered two words.

"Praise him."

Ember glanced up when she saw the Doctor dash past, and then her eyes widened when she realised what had just happened. Cursing under her breath, she jumped up and ran up the stairs, but Rita was already gone.

"Dammit," She said, taking the nearest corridor and running up it, hoping to find a trace even though logically she knew it would be pointless. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted another camera, suddenly remembering where the Doctor would be by now, and moved to the nearest door, hoping that whatever was inside wasn't too scary.

The room was normal, if one was able to ignore the dozens of rabbits that were hopping about. Ember tilted her head, momentarily distracted - who was scared of fluffy bunnies? - then shook her head and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, grabbing the phone that was on the nightstand. Pressing a few buttons, she waited as the ringtone buzzed once, then twice before it was picked up.

_"Hello?"_ It was the Doctor.

"Oh, think god," Ember murmured just loud enough for the man to hear.

_"Ember? How did you call this phone?"_

"Traditional hotel. The number for Reception, the restaurant and the security room is on the label." Ember explained, running her fingers on the faded sticker on the side of the phone. "And before you ask, no this isn't my room. It's full of cute bunnies, and I'm not afraid of those."

_"Ah. Well, where are you?"_

Grabbing the phone, Ember moved to the door, opening it. Luckily, the cable was long enough for her to take it just outside the room so she could wave at the camera. Oddly enough, none of the rabbits in the room seemed interested in escaping. "Room 119. I can see a camera. You see me?"

There was a pause before the Doctor replied. _"Yes, I see you. But why are you there? I left_ _you at Reception."_

"No time! You have to find Rita!" Ember said, looking right at the camera. "Doctor, she found her room, right before Joe was caught."

_"What? Why didn't you tell me?"_

"Honestly, this whole place is throwing me off or something." Ember didn't understand. It had been too late for Joe, but she could have stopped Howie and Rita from finding their rooms. So why hadn't she?

_"Alright, I see her."_ The Doctor's voice brought her out of her thoughts._ "I'll try to phone the room near her. Will she answer?"_

Ember nodded. "Hurry. There may still be time."

She hung up and put the phone back in the room before she took off down the corridor. It was a slim chance that she'd find Rita, but she had to try.

Minutes passed, feeling like hours, but all she found were more corridors and doors.

Ember turned a corner, only to nearly crash into Gibbis. The mole-like alien was looking guilty, while his face and hands were wet. Ember frowned.

"You are the fish, didn't you?" She said.

Gibbis looked away, the guilt practically rolling off of him. Ember sighed. "Come on. The others will be looking for us."

The two of them went back the way Gibbis had come, and not long after that they reached the restaurant. Ember looked over at where Joe and Howie had been laid out, and felt her heart break when she saw that Rita's body had joined them.

Before she could speak, there was suddenly a loud crash from the bar area. Ember noticed Amy and Rory sat near the doors to the bar, and a quick glance inside let her see the Doctor storming about, throwing anything he could.

"You're okay," Amy said, looking up at her. "Thank god."

Ember shook her head, blinking to try to force back the tears. "I'm sorry. I tried to find her..."

Rory stood and walked to her, pulling her in for a hug. "It's ok. It's not your fault."

"He's pretty mad," Ember couldn't help a flinch when she heard what sounded like a tray of teacups crashing against the wall and the Doctor's yell after it. "He should be mad at me."

"He's not. Trust me, he isn't."

Ember looked at Amy, who nodded encouragingly, before she felt Rory lead her towards the bar. "Isn't it better to just let him rage it out?"

"Believe me, he needs you more."

She hesitated for another moment, and then she slowly stepped into the bar area. It was chaos: anything that could break had been broken. Anything that wasn't nailed down was thrown aside or even smashed. The Doctor stood in the middle of it all, breathing heavily with his back to her.

"Um..." Ember began, only to falter. What could she say? 'Hey, sorry I let two people die'?

The Doctor turned around slowly, taking in Ember's nervous hand-wringing, and let out a loud breath. "Please don't blame yourself."

Ember glanced at him before looking away. "How can I not? I knew they'd find their rooms, I knew they'd go off on their own... I should have tried harder, but something about this place, it... I don't know, it's like I can't think!"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" The Doctor asked, his previous anger suddenly gone as he walked up to her. "There may be a psychic interference that's messing with you, possibly the same thing that draws people here and to their room."

Ember looked at him again. "You said the same thing about the Ood too. Does being half Time Lord and half mystery make me a better telepath than you?"

"In time, yes." The Doctor surprised her by putting his hands on either side of her face. For a moment it looked like he was going to kiss her on the lips, but then he kissed her forehead before he released her and moved back to the dining area where the others were waiting.

Ember put a hand to her own forehead, wondering why her stomach flipped at such a simple action, but then she shook it off and followed.

"Okay. It preys on people's fear and possesses them. But Rita wasn't afraid." The Doctor summerised, sitting at a table. "She was brave and calm. Maybe it's something to do with the people, some connection between the four of you that'll tell me how to fight it."

"Yes, you keep saying that, but you never do." Gibbis said, warily avoiding Ember's glare. He was sat at his own table, with the Doctor to his left and Amy and Rory to his right. "And while we wait, people keep dying. And we'll be next."

Amy stepped up. "Look, he'll work it out. He always does. Just let him riff and move anything expensive out of his way."

The Doctor blinked, an idea suddenly coming to mind and filling him with dread. "Oh, no. Oh, no, no..."

"Doctor, what is wrong?"

Ember sighed. "Rita said it. 'Let me be robbed of my faith'."

"It's not fear. It's faith." The Doctor breathed. Suddenly Ember's comments about fear and religions made perfect sense. How did he not see it before? "Not just religious faith, faith in something. Howard believed in conspiracies, that external forces controlled the world. Joe had dice cufflinks and a chain with a horseshoe. He was a gambler. Gamblers believe in luck, an intangible force that helps them win or lose. Gibbis has rejected any personal autonomy and is waiting for the next batch of invaders to oppress him and tell him what to do. They all believe there's something guiding them, about to save them. That's what it replaces. Every time someone was confronted with their most primal fear, they fell back on their most fundamental faith. And all this time, I have been telling you to dig deep, find the thing that keeps you brave. I made you expose your faith, show them what they needed..."

"But why us?" Rory asked. "Why are we here?"

"It doesn't want you. That's why it kept showing you a way out. You're not religious or superstitious, so there's no faith for you to fall back on. It wants her."

Amy blinked when she realised he was referring to her. "Me?" She moved to where the Doctor was now leaning against the bar. "Why?"

"Your faith in me. That's what brought us here."

"But why do they lose their faith before they die and start worshipping... it?" Rory asked.

The Doctor paced. "It needs to convert the faith into a form it can consume. Faith is an energy, the specific emotional energy the creature needs to live. Which is why at the end of her note, Lucy said-"

"Praise him."

"Exactly." The Doctor agreed, not quite catching what it meant, only to blink a moment later when he realised that it was Amy who said it.

Rory noticed as well. "No. Oh, please, no."

"There's your fear," Ember said. "Losing the one you love."

The sound of stomping came, along with a growl.

"And now we need to run."

* * *

The group were running through the corridors when Amy suddenly stopped at a crossroads, looking down one of them at where the Minotaur was approaching.

"Amy?" The Doctor called, running back for her with Ember behind him. "What are you doing?"

"He is beautiful." Amy breathed.

"Leave her!" Gibbis called. "Just leave her!"

Ember growled. She was going to tape his mouth next if he didn't stop. She moved aside to let the Doctor half-drag Amy back, but then she stopped when her eye caught one of the doors. Room 205 seemed to loom over her.

"Ember!"

The brunette looked away from the door, only to pale as she realised that the Minotaur was now between her and the rest of the group. Luckily, it seemed the beast was more interested in the group than her.

"Go!" She called. "It doesn't want me! Go!"

If there'd been more time to think about it, Ember probably wouldn't have done what she did next. She'd have realised that it was a very bad idea, not to mention pointless since she wasn't being chased.

But she didn't think. She opened the door to room 205 and ran in, slamming it shut behind her.

The room looked as normal as the hotel did: a simple double bed with matching nightstands, a wardrobe to one side and a door on the other side of the room that most likely led to an en suite. An old-fashioned tv sat on top of a set of drawers.

Ember took deep breaths to try to calm down, only to jump when the phone on the nightstand began to ring. After watching it for a moment, Ember slowly moved to sit on the bed and, hesitating for one more moment, picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

_"... it's all your fault."_

Ember didn't recognise the voice, as it was too distorted for her to even tell what gender it was, but the words alone put a stone in her stomach. "What?"

_"It's your fault that they're dead. You knew they'd die, but you didn't do anything to stop it."_

"Who are you? What are you talking about?"

The tv turned on, making her turn to face it with the phone still at her ear. The screen cleared to reveal a camera angle that showed the three bodies in the dining area.

_"You knew it would go after Howie and Rita,"_ the voice on the phone continued._ "You knew exactly what was going to happen, right to the letter. But you did nothing. You didn't even warn them. And they're not the only ones you've let down."_

The image on the screen changed, like someone was switching channels. Now it showed a library in the 1920s, where a balding man was suddenly attacked by a giant wasp wielding a lead pipe. Then it changed again, showing an Indian woman scream as a stone gargoyle fell on her. Another change, and it was several men in suits getting electrocuted, then it was a woman in a room covered in ice getting attacked by a blob on the ceiling, then men in uniform getting attacked by a Martian, then a black woman being attacked by an Ood, and then a hospital where people were dying of heart failures.

The voice continued through it all. _"Look at them. All the people you could have saved_, _but you didn't. What good is your foreknowledge if you don't use it to save people?"_

"But..." Tears fell unhindered as Ember watched clip after clip of people dying. Some of them showed the same people dying, but at different angles, like a camera was pointing at them from a new direction. "I didn't..."

_"Exactly. You didn't."_ The voice sneered._ "And what about the other ones? The ones that you're going to let down?"_

New clips appeared, and Ember recognised each person: Amy and Rory. Donna. Jenny, the Doctor's daughter. Jack. The Master. Martha and Rose. River. The list went on, showing people that had died or lost everything in the show, but Ember hadn't witnessed yet.

"Stop it... please..." Ember whispered.

_"And what about the most important one?"_ The voice ignored her plea. _"What about the Doctor?"_

The screen was now showing the scenes from the show where the Doctor regenerated. Nine to Ten, Ten to Eleven, and then Eleven to Twelve. All the ones she knew she would witness in the future.

_"He's going to die, again and again, and you're not going to even bother to help him, are you?"_

"I..." What could she say?

_"It's all your fault. You have all of this foreknowledge, but you won't do anything with it."_

"N-no, I..."

_"It's all. Your. Fault."_

"No..."

_"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"_

"NO!"

Ember screamed at last, and deep within, something broke.

* * *

Back in room 7, Rory was trying to hold the door shut while the Doctor was trying to talk Amy into dropping her faith in him.

"I can't save you from this." He said. "There's nothing I can do to stop this."

Amy tore her gaze from the scene of her childhood self looking out of the window "What?"

"I stole your childhood and now I've led you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew. I knew this would happen. This is what always happens."

The Minotaur burst into the room, sending Rory flying back. The Doctor glanced back at them for a moment before turning back to Amy.

Before he could continue his plan, however, there was a scream from the corridor. At first it sounded like a human female - like Ember - but it quickly changed into something almost primal. Then, to the shock of the occupants of the room, flames suddenly engulfed the corridor and flew into the room. Everyone shielded their eyes, feeling the intense heat but surprisingly no pain, until it faded several seconds later. When they opened their eyes, they looked around in puzzlement at the new surroundings.

Instead of the 80s hotel room, or even a charred version of it, it looked like a futuristic hologrid. The Tardis was only a few feet away, tall and proud, and the Minotaur was now lying on the ground, panting with singes in its fur.

Ember was several feet away, swaying on the spot. The Doctor ran over and caught her as she collapsed, barely conscious. Her clothes were also singed. "Ember! I've got you, it's alright."

"Wha... What did I...?" Ember whispered, confused. She remembered her room, the voice on the phone, the images on the tv... then heat and flames.

"You cleansed him," The Doctor replied, helping her move to where the Minotaur lay. "He asked you to burn his sins. And you did just that: burnt away the rooms, giving him space to die."

Ember let the Doctor guide her to sit on her knees beside the Minotaur. At his whimpers, she reached out to put her hand on its snout. "I... I don't know what happened..."

"What is it, a minotaur or an alien?" Amy asked, warily approaching. "Or an alien minotaur? That's not a question I thought I'd be asking this morning."

"It's both, actually. Yeah. Here we go." The Doctor moved to the side, finding a holographic database. "Distant cousin of the Nimon. They descend on planets and set themselves up as gods to be worshipped. Which is fine, until the inhabitants get all secular and advanced enough to build bonkers prisons."

Rory and Gibbi looked out of a porthole, seeing space. "Correction. Prisons in space."

Amy looked around. "Where are the guards?"

"No need for any. It's all automated." The Doctor replied. "It drifts through space, snatching people with belief systems and converts their faith into food for the creature."

"It didn't want just me, so you must believe in some god or someone, or they'd have shown you the way out too. So what do Time Lords pray to?"

The Doctor glanced at Ember, who was weakly petting the Minotaur, before focusing on the database again, pointedly ignoring Amy's question. "According to the in-flight recorder, the programme developed glitches. It got stuck on the same setting, the fears from the people before us weren't tidied away."

The Minotaur growled, getting Amy's attention. Ember was nodding to it, making the redhead realise that it wasn't just growling. "What's it saying?"

"'An ancient creature, drenched in the blood of the innocent, drifting in space through an endless, shifting maze. For such a creature, death would be a gift.'" The Doctor translated before he knelt and held the alien's hand in an attempt to comfort it. "Then accept it, and sleep well."

As he stood and turned away, the Minotaur growled again, and this time Ember shook her head.

The Doctor looked at it in surprise. "'I wasn't talking about myself'."

"I can't say you're wrong," Ember whispered to the Minotaur. "But there's a difference between you and him. He has freedom. Yours was stripped from you."

To her surprise, the Minotaur also lowered its growl so that only she could hear it. It's final words brought tears to her eyes as it breathed its last.

Gibbis chose that moment to speak up. "Could I have a lift? Just to the nearest galaxy would do."

Ember pat the Minotaur one last time before she stood up. Her legs shook as she followed the others toward the Tardis, though the Doctor waited at the door for her. "Doctor... I found my room... what did I do? Did that fire come from... me?"

"... yes." He replied softly. "Whatever you saw in that room must have caused a very emotional reaction. The fire is part of who you are. That's why it's one of your nicknames."

"Did it hurt any of you?"

The Doctor smiled and shook his head. "That's the beauty of it. Even at your worst, you still care. It burnt away the illusion. Come on. We need to drop Gibbis off, then we have a present for the Ponds."

Ember nodded, following him into the Tardis.

* * *

Some time later, the Doctor had dropped Amy and Rory off at their brand new house. He'd asked Ember if she wanted to join him, but she'd declined and retreated into the depths of the ship.

After the Tardis sent him on a wild goose chase, the ship finally allowed him to find Ember. The brunette was in what looked like a traditional dojo, sat in the centre with a lit candle in front of her. She hadn't bothered to change out of her singed clothes or even put shoes on, and was staring at the candle like it held the secrets of the universe, so much so that she hadn't noticed him until he moved to sit cross-legged in the other side of the candle, facing her.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Trying to move the flame," was the simple answer, but Ember's face showed signs of struggle. "I can't do it."

The Doctor hummed. "I don't think it works like that. You don't just manipulate fire."

Ember blinked, finally looking at him over the candle. "I don't know what I did back there. I barely even remember it. One minute I'm in a hotel room, then... there was fire everywhere, and..."

"What did you see in your room?"

"I..." Ember looked away. "The tv was showing all the people I didn't save. There was a voice on the phone, telling me how it was my fault that they were dead."

"Ah."

"I was so scared, seeing all those people." Ember continued, keeping her gaze on the ground next to her. "But then... I started feeling angry. I just wanted it to stop. Then... then it showed me things I haven't been to yet. People who I know will die, or lose everything. The voice kept saying that I could help them, but I'm too useless to do it. How it's going to be my fault for not saving them."

The Doctor glanced at the candle, noticing that the flame on it was starting to waver, but getting bigger. "Ember..."

"It even showed me when you'd regenerate, and how I didn't help you! Then the fire came. I don't know how I did it, but I just wanted that voice to shut up!"

"Ember..."

"I saw it burning everything, but I couldn't stop it..."

"Ember! Stop!"

The shout made Ember shake her head and look around. The candle between them was now a bubbling puddle of wax, the flame having engulfed it and burnt the wick, as well as the ground around it. Flames were still licking over the wax despite having nothing to fuel it. "Wha...?"

The Doctor moved to sit beside the trembling brunette, drawing her into a hug. "I never knew when it started, but I guess it began here. Ember, you have a great power inside you. But you can control it. Watch."

Ember's eyes widened when she saw him reach out a bare hand to the flaming puddle. "No, don't...!"

To her surprise, his hand touched the flames with no consequence, the fire licking at the skin without burning it.

"You can control what fire burns," he said as he pulled his hand back and let Ember grab it to check. It wasn't even hot. "I've seen you use this to protect people, me especially. You can control it, with practice. But I know you can do it; I've seen you do it."

Ember turned his hand over and over in hers, finding not even a scorch on the skin. "But... I can't... What if I lose control? What if I... hurt someone?"

"It isn't going to be easy. You have sometimes lost control, but I know you get better at it. And you know what? Fire isn't the only thing you can do; it's just the easiest."

"It's not the only thing...?" Ember repeated, looking up at him. "What else can I do?"

The Doctor smiled sadly at her, raising his unburned hand to trace a finger over her left cheek. "Spoilers. But I know it's going to be very soon. I recognise those singes."

Ember wanted to ask what he meant, but then the familiar burning sensation flared up. "Oh."

"I'll see you soon," the Doctor said, pressing a kiss to her forehead just before she jumped.

* * *

And there we have it! A sneak peek at what Ember can do, and something inside has broken. Will it effect her? What do these new 'powers' mean for her in the future? Will she find out soon?

And there's one other thing I need to point out: Ember's opinion on religion. I want to make it clear right now that I don't have a specific religion I believe in, thought I think there is some cosmic force out there of some kind, and I respect what others believe in. I wanted Ember to have the same line of thought, and I hope I have not offended anyone with this subject.

Next Time: Ember faces a miracle gone wrong. Why can't humans leave things alone?


	12. Chapter Twelve: The Lazarus Experiment

The Lazarus Experiment

Right, here's the next one. I had a different episode in mind for chapter twelve, but I decided it was slightly early to let that one out yet, so I'm pushing it back a couple of chapters.

But enjoy this one!

* * *

When Ember landed, she found herself in the Tardis mid-flight, the Tenth Doctor in his blue suit piloting alone. Said man looked up and grinned at her arrival.

"Ember!" He said, stumbling his way around the console to bring her in for a hug. "How are you? Where did you just come from?"

Ember paused. This was before the fake hotel, so she couldn't tell him what had happened in detail. "Spoilers. Sorry. What's going on?"

The Doctor pulled away from her, going to mess with things on the console. "I've just dropped Martha off. Back home, safe and sound, just as promised."

"Oh?" Ember moved to the captains chair, finding it better to be there when the Tardis was moving. "You guys just come back from New York?"

For a moment, the Doctor stopped, his face darkening in thought, but then he was back to his usual self before Ember could notice. "Yep! Old New York, with pigmen and Daleks."

Ember nodded. "And you've left Martha at her home?"

"Yep! And I made sure it wasn't a year off! Twelve hours, give or take."

"And now we're going off? Just like that?"

"Yep!"

"You sure?"

The Doctor looked around the central pillar of the console to look at the brunette, who was sitting there with a slightly mischievous look on her face. "Yes? Why do you ask?"

"If I remember right, there was a news report on the tv," Ember said, trying to play innocent as she kicked her feet slightly.

"What about it?"

"'With the push of a button, I will change what it means to be human'." Ember quoted. "And that doesn't poke your curiousity?"

"...no, not at all."

Ember smirked. "Not even a little bit?"

There was a long pause, then another, and then the Doctor rolled his eyes and flicked a few switches. After a few more moments, the Tardis stilled, and the Doctor ran over to the door and opened it enough to lean out.

"No, I'm sorry." He said to someone outside. "Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?"

Ember's smirk turned into a grin as she got up and walked over, opening the door wider and wiggling past the Time Lord. "Like a moth to a flame, this guy. Can't resist a mystery."

Before them, a dark skinned, dark haired woman blinked before smiling. "Ember! It's good to see you!"

"You too," Ember smiled as the woman approached, only for Martha to stop and look at her in puzzlement, making her nervous. "Um, what's wrong?"

"Your clothes," Martha said, moving closer. "They look... burnt. I mean, your jacket always had burns, but I thought it was just a style, and your other clothes didn't have them..."

Ember glanced down at herself. Her clothes indeed had singes in places, and she'd forgotten about them. "Oh. Um..."

"And you're not wearing any shoes." The Doctor pointed out suddenly. "Did you burst into flames again?"

That made Ember look up from where she'd glanced at her socks. "Again? What do you mean?"

"Ah," The Doctor rubbed his head with his hand, his eyes going everywhere but at her. "You haven't done that yet."

"Actually, this was the first time I've 'burst into flames'," Ember said, smiling gently as Martha look increasingly confused. "Yea, apparently I can do that now. But to be fair, I was really angry."

Martha blinked and shook her head. "I'll file that under 'things I'll probably never know about'."

Ember flinched, remembering Rita making a similar comment. Not long before she died.

The Doctor saw her face, reaching out a hand to hold hers and get her to look at him so she could see him smile at her. "It's okay. Now, what's this about changing what it means to be human?"

Ember and Martha shook their heads at his swift turn of attention, the brunette answering him. "Think of all the things about humans that they think needs changing. And then worry about the effects that would have."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Martha said. "Infiltration. If the date is right-"

"Which it is," the Doctor cut in, looking at Ember. "It really is. I checked."

Martha gave him an odd look, but chose not to comment. "Then there's a party tonight, and since my sister is part of the PR department, I've got an invite. I'm sure you and your psychic paper can give you one too."

"Brilliant. But it's tonight? We have to wait all day?"

Ember and Martha looked at each other, knowing smirks on their faces. If there was one thing they both knew about the Doctor; it was that he hated waiting.

* * *

The day had gone slowly, made to feel more so because the Doctor kept whining about it. Ember was able to distract him most of the time by sending him to do repairs or bits of maintenance on the Tardis, but almost every hour or so he'd come back to her with big brown eyes and pouty lips, asking if they couldn't just use the Tardis. Every time, she told to be patient and sent him to do something else.

"You've got him around your finger," Martha laughed after the latest attempt. She and Ember had been sat in her home, keeping an eye on the news for anything new that might force them to change their plans, and talking in between of random things.

Ember shook her head, taking a sip of lemonade from a glass. "No, I don't... do I?"

Martha nodded. "He'd probably give you the moon if you asked."

"Oh, I doubt that." Ember looked away, a light dusting of red on her face. "Besides, I don't need the moon. I've got all the stars to chose from."

Martha paused, looking down at her cup of tea. "Yea. Can't help but feel a little envious. You guys will be going after this, and I'll be stuck here."

"I wouldn't be too sure," Ember said, smiling as the woman looked at her in puzzlement. "Trust me: By the end of the night, you'll be in for a surprise."

"Is that one of your hints?"

"Yep." Ember would have said more, but then the Tardis door creaked open again. She rolled her eyes at the Doctor, who was still pouting. "Look, it's only a couple more hours! If you can't find anything else to do, then go get changed! It's a black tie event."

With a huff, the Doctor retreated back into the Tardis.

"I'm telling you; wrapped around your finger." Martha laughed as she finished her tea and stood up. "Right. We'd better get ready too."

Ember suddenly paled. "You mean... I have to wear a dress, don't I?"

"Afraid so." Martha held out her hand, helping Ember up before leading her into the Tardis. "I'm guessing you don't do dresses often?"

Ember shook her head. "I've never liked dresses. Prefer trousers or shorts, and even then I need leggings to cover my legs. I don't like showing them off."

"And makeup? You've done great to cover up that scar, though I can't imagine why you'd do it now."

"Um..." Ember stopped her just as they entered the Tardis. "I haven't got that scar yet."

Martha paused, looking closer at the young woman's face to see that indeed, it was devoid of makeup or a scar. "Hm, you said something about that. You don't go in the same order as us, I think."

"Yep." Ember said. "Sometimes I go to the future, sometimes the past. But always near the Doctor, as far as I know. So anything you've seen me do, you can't tell me; Cos I haven't been there yet."

"Ok. Well, let's find some dresses."

Ember groaned so loudly that she was sure the Doctor heard her from wherever he was.

* * *

A short time later, Ember was looking at herself in the mirror. She now wore a black, short-sleeved dress (the sleeves just long enough to cover the circle appearing on her arm), with silver running down the sides, one side longer than the other so that her legs were free to move. Said legs had tights on, since leggings wouldn't work with the dress, and she had black pumps on. Martha had tried to get her to wear heels, but she was adamant that it would not happen.

Her hair was cut a little so that it was now just reaching her shoulder blades. Rather than style it up like Martha had her own, she simply had two clips to hold the strands away from her face. Another brief debate ended with her wearing minimal makeup.

"I can't believe you've worn that," Martha said as she applied her own makeup. She was referring to the red flapper dress that Ember had worn when she met Agatha Christie. "Where were you, the 1920s?"

"Actually, yea, I was." Ember replied with a straight face. "1926, actually."

"Was I There?"

Ember turned to look at her, fiddling with a black-beaded bracelet she'd slipped into her left wrist next to her watch. "You know I can't tell you that. It's in the future."

"Yea, sorry. Force of habit." Martha sent her an apologetic smile. "You look great."

"Thanks," Ember fiddled with the bracelet again. "I'm not used to this kind of event."

Martha finished her eyeliner and looked at her. "You didn't do this where you came from?"

"No way," Ember shook her head. "At least, I don't think I did. It keeps blurring, my time before here. Sometimes I wonder if it was all a dream."

"Is there anything you remember clearly?"

Ember looked thoughtful for a moment. "It was... a quiet life, but not brilliant, if I remember right. I mean, I had a home and a job and all that, but I was... ill, more often than not. I didn't have many friends, mainly because of all my 'illnesses'. If I listed everything that was wrong with me, you'd probably think I needed to be in a mental facility."

Martha's expression was soft and understanding. "I don't think so. Everyone has problems, some worse than others. From what you've told me before, you just had a bit more than others did."

"Yea..." Ember murmured, and then she shook her head. "Anyway, enough about that. Let's go before the Doctor decides to go without us."

She turned to leave, missing the concerned look Martha gave her before she covered it up and followed, grabbing her purse. The two of them walked back through the halls of the Tardis before reaching the console room, finding the Doctor already there, fiddling with a black bow tie to go with the black suit he was now wearing.

"You dress up nice," Martha said.

The Doctor turned to reply, but then he stopped dead when he saw Ember. His mouth dropped open without his knowledge, flapping uselessly as he tried to get words out while staring at the brunette.

Ember looked down, a blush on her face, and wished she really wasn't in a dress right now. "I know, it's not special. I can go change, or just wait here, or-"

"None of that," Martha scolded lightly. Neither of them noticed her knowing smirk. "You look fabulous, doesn't she, Doctor?"

The Doctor blinked and shook his head, moving to stand in front of Ember. "Yea... you look wonderful."

Ember glanced up, but couldn't hold his gaze, her blush darkening. "Um, thanks. Martha, you look good too."

"Thank you." Martha said. "Now, shall we go?"

The Doctor blinked again, turning to offer an arm to each of them as they moved to the doors. "Yea, let's... let's go."

Ember finally caught Martha's almost smug look, and wondered why it was there. The doctor-in-training had a crush on the Time Lord, didn't she?

Then why did she not look so disappointed at the Doctor's lack of response to her?

* * *

The trio headed down the street towards the place the event would take place at, the Doctor finished doing the bow tie and was now fiddling with the cuffs.

"Oh, black tie." He muttered. "Whenever I wear this, something bad always happens."

"It's not the outfit, that's just you." Martha laughed. "Anyway, I think it suits you. In a James Bond kind of way."

"James Bond?" The Doctor looked at her in suspicion, and then Ember. Seeing her nod in approval, he seemed to take the reference better. "Really?"

They soon arrived at a building labelled Lazarus Laboratories. After using the Psychic Paper (Ember had sadly had to leave hers in her jacket), the trio were let in and shown to a large reception room that was already packed with guests, all dressed formally with a couple of servers going around with trays carrying champagne or small foods. There was even a few people playing music on string instruments. In the middle of the room is a circular dais. On it is a man-sized frosted glass chamber and four upright posts, slightly curved at the top to aim at the chamber. Ember couldn't help a shiver at the sight of it.

A waiter passed them with a tray of food, the Doctor eagerly grabbing a few to munch on. "Oh, look, they've got nibbles! I love nibbles."

Ember giggled at the childish glee the Doctor showed, shaking her head when he offered her one. He insisted, until she gave up and took one, making him smile.

"Hello." A tall woman who looked similar to Martha approached.

"Tish!" Martha exclaimed in joy, hugging her sister.

"You look great. So, what do you think? Impressive, isn't it?"

"Very!"

"And two nights out in a row for you." Tish teased. "That's dangerously close to a social life."

"If I keep this up, I'll end up in all the gossip columns."

"You might, actually. You should keep an eye out for photographers. And Mum, she's coming too. Even dragging Leo along with her."

Martha's eyes widened. "Leo in black tie? That I must see!" She caught Tish eyeing her two friends, not recognising them. "This is, uh... the Doctor, and Ember."

"Hello!" The Doctor chirped as he used his free hand to shake hers. Ember nodded politely.

"Are they with you?" Tish asked her sister.

"Yeah."

"But they're not on the list. How did they get in?"

Martha fumbled. "Uh..."

"Oh, sorry," Ember spoke up. "Last minute change of plan. My father is the head of reasearch at our company, but he couldn't make it and he insisted that I attend in his place. The Doctor here is my plus one."

The sisters looked at her; Martha surprised and Tish curious. The Doctor saw the chance to change the subject and jumped at it.

"So, this Lazarus, he's your boss?" He asked.

Tish shook her head, thankfully falling into the conversation. "Professor Lazarus, yes. I'm part of his executive staff."

"She's in the PR department." Martha explained.

"I'm head of the PR department, actually." Tish said. Martha looked at her in surprise.

"You're joking!"

"I put this whole thing together."

"So do you know what the professor's going to be doing tonight?" The Doctor asked, eager for intel as he looked at the machine in the middle of the room. "That looks like it might be a sonic microfield manipulator."

Tish smiled in realisation. "He's a science geek. I should have known. Got to get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later."

The trio watched her walk away before the Doctor spoke to Martha. "Science geek? What does that mean?"

"That your obsessively enthusiastic about it." Martha said.

"Oh, nice."

Ember smiled at his obliviousness of the sass. Sometimes he could be so clueless.

"Martha!" They all looked up to see an older woman walking up to them with a young man behind her. The woman wore a gold dress that matched well with her mocha skin.

"Mum!" Without thinking, Martha pulled the woman into a tight hug, surprising her. Ember was sure her name was Francine or something.

"All right, what's the occasion?" She asked, instantly suspicious.

"What do you mean?" Martha tried to play it off with a smile. "I'm just pleased to see you, that's all."

"You saw me last night."

"I know. I just... miss you." She turned to the young man next. "You're looking good, Leo."

Leo shrugged. "Yeah. If anyone asks me to fetch them a drink, I'll swing for him."

"You disappeared last night." Francine suddenly said.

"I just went home." Martha replied.

"On your own?"

Martha fumbled for a moment, and then remembered her company. "These are friends of mine. Ember and the Doctor."

"Doctor what?" Ember bit her lip to fight off the smile that threatened to slip onto her face at the twist in the ever popular question.

"No, it's just the Doctor. We've been doing some work together."

Leo seemed fine with that, shaking hands with the man. "You all right, mate?"

"It's lovely to meet you, Mrs Jones." The Doctor said, turning to shake her hand next. "Heard a lot about you."

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Francine narrowed her eyes at him. "Have you? What have you heard, then?"

The Doctor tried to backtrack, only succeeding in digging himself into a deeper hole. "Oh, you know, that you're Martha's mother and... Um, no, actually, that's about it. We haven't had much time to chat. You know, been busy."

"Busy? Doing what, exactly?"

"Oh you know. Stuff."

Ember rolled her eyes before she cut in gently, taking the mother's hand and getting the attention on herself. "You must forgive my... boyfriend. My father likes him for his bright mind, but sometimes he can be as sharp as a bowling ball."

Francine seemed to soften at that, smiling warmly at the brunette. "Well, glad to hear that."

The Doctor had been looking at Ember in surprise at the term she'd used, but before he could say anything, the sound of tinking glass called everyone's attention to the centre of the room, where an old man was tapping a spoon to his champagne glass.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said once everyone was watching him. "I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I am going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you will wake to a world which will be changed forever."

Lazarus stepped inside the chamber, assisted by a pair of lady scientists who soon started up the machine with the press of a big red button. The four columns start to oscillate and rotate around the chamber as they seemed to pour energy into it. Bright blue light made it difficult to see.

Suddenly an alarm sounded, making the crowd murmur among themselves in confusion.

"Something's wrong." The Doctor said, seeing the computers spark and start smoking. "It's overloading!"

He took off, leaping over the side to get to the controls. Ember and Martha approached, not sure on what to do but ready to help if needed. The columns rotated faster.

"Somebody stop him!" An old woman cried. "Get him away from those controls!"

"If this thing goes up, it'll take the whole building with it!" The Doctor snapped at her as he worked. "Is that what you want?!"

After trying to get the console working and failing, the Doctor ended up pulling out a big power cable. The columns slowed to a stop as the trio rushed to the central chamber.

When they finally got the door open, nothing could be seen at first with all the smoke. Then, a young man stumbled out. The crowd looked on in surprise as the man felt his face before grinning and standing up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Richard Lazarus." He said boldly. "I am seventy six years old and I am reborn!"

The crowd suddenly started cheering and clapping, while the Doctor and Martha stared in shock. Ember, however, felt nauseous at the very sight.

* * *

It wasn't long before everyone was gushing and ogling the now young professor, the man posing for the photographers. The trio of time travelers were stood to one side, watching the old-now-young man preen in from of the cameras.

"It can't be the same guy. It's impossible." Martha said. "It must be a trick."

"Oh, it's not a trick. I wish it were." The Doctor replied before he looked at Ember, who was looking more uneasy the longer she stared at the transformed man. "Are you alright?"

Ember paused, then shook her head. "I dunno. Just looking at him... it makes me feel sick. Like I can feel that he's just... wrong. Is this what it feels like to be around Jack?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No, that's different. I don't feel much from Lazarus right now. How bad is it?"

"Bad. He's messed with Mother Nature. If she was a sentient being, she'd be pissed right now. And Mother Nature always wins."

The Doctor frowned. After all he'd seen, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if that were close to the truth.

"What just happened then?" Martha asked.

"He just changed what it means to be human." The Doctor said, taking Ember's hand to offer some kind of comfort.

They watched him converse with the old woman from before, until Lazarus suddenly stiffened and gasped. The trio approached as he grabbed a tray from a passing waiter and began shoving food into his mouth like a man possessed.

The old woman looked disgusted at the action. "Richard!"

"I'm famished." Was his reply as he shoved another nibble into his already occupied mouth.

"Energy deficit." The Doctor said, announcing their presence as the trio approached. "Always happens with this kind of process."

Lazarus looked at him. "You speak as if you see this every day, Mister...?"

"Doctor. And well, no, not every day, but I have some experience of this kind of transformation."

"That's not possible..."

"Using hypersonic sound waves to create a state of resonance. That's inspired."

Lazarus looked impressed. "You understand the theory, then."

"Enough to know that you couldn't possibly have allowed for all the variables."

"No experiment is entirely without risk."

"That thing nearly exploded. You might as well have stepped into a blender!"

The old woman - Lady Thaw, if Ember remembered right, looked down her nose at them. "You're not qualified to comment."

The Doctor gave her an 'Are you kidding?' look. "If I hadn't stopped it, it would have exploded."

"Then I thank you, Doctor." Lazarus cut in before they made a scene. "But that's a simple engineering issue. What happened inside the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen. No more, no less."

Martha looked at him. "You've no way of knowing that until you've run proper tests."

"Look at me. You can see what happened. I'm all the proof you need."

"This device will be properly certified before we start to operate commercially." Lady Thaw said.

"Commercially?" Martha repeated, shocked. "You are joking. That'll cause chaos!"

Lazarus smiled. "Not chaos, change. A chance for humanity to evolve, to improve."

"Evolution is an act of nature," Ember said, suppressing the shiver she felt when Lazarus looked at her. "What you just did was nowhere near natural, or an improvement."

"This isn't about improving." The Doctor agreed. "This is about you and your customers living a little longer."

"Not a little longer, Doctor. A lot longer. Perhaps indefinitely."

Lady That had apparently had enough. "Richard, we have things to discuss, upstairs."

Lazarus looked at the group again. "Goodbye, Doctor. In a few years, you'll look back and laugh at how wrong you were."

He moved to take Ember's hand, but she stepped back out of his reach, so repulsed that she didn't notice the Doctor move slightly between them with a glare that said 'I dare you to try' to the now-young man. Lazarus smoothly changed course to take Martha's hand instead and kiss it before he turned and left with Lady Thaw.

"Oh, he's out of his depth." The Doctor murmured, seeking out Ember's hand with his own not only to help soothe her but to also ground him. There were very few times that he wanted to simply punch another person; this was one of them. "No idea of the damage he might have done."

Martha saw the move and hid the smirk that wanted to appear on her face. "So what do we do now?"

"Now? Well, this building must be full of laboratories. I say we do our own tests."

"Lucky I've just collected a DNA sample then, isn't it?" Martha held up her hand, the smirk finally appearing.

"Oh, Martha Jones, you're a star!"

Ember scrunched up her face slightly. "You should wash that thoroughly when we've got the sample. He's only looked at me, but I already feel like I want to shower to scrub it off."

* * *

The trio of travelers were able to go upstairs to one of the laboratories, and didn't take long to set up one of the computers to test the DNA they had. They were now looking at the results; an image of what should have been a normal strand of human DNA.

"Amazing." The Doctor murmured, glasses on.

Martha blinked, puzzled. "What?"

"Lazarus's DNA."

"I can't see anything different."

"Look at it."

Martha did so, just in time to see the strand warp and twist for a moment before going back to normal. "Oh, my God. Did that just change? But it can't have..."

"But it did."

"It's impossible!"

"And that's two impossible things we've seen so far tonight." The Doctor grinned at Ember. "Don't you love it when that happens?"

Ember shrugged. "Depends on what's happened."

"That means Lazarus has changed his own molecular patterns." Martha said.

"Hypersonic sound waves to destabilise the cell structure, then a metagenic programme to manipulate the coding in the protein strands." The Doctor caught them looking at him oddly and put it more simply. "Basically, he hacked into his own genes and instructed them to rejuvenate."

Martha looked at the DNA strand with new eyes as it warped again, changing even more. "But they're still mutating now."

"Because he missed something. Something in his DNA has been activated and won't let him stabilise. Something that's trying to change him."

"Change him into what?"

"I don't know, but I think we need to find out."

"That woman said they were going upstairs."

"Let's go."

Ember grabbed the Doctor by the sleeve of his jacket. "Actually, I'm gonna go back down to the reception. In case they've gone back down there."

The Doctor and Martha agreed without catching on to what she may have unwittingly hinted.

* * *

Ember swallowed hard to fight back the anxiety as she moved around the outskirts of the crowd in the reception area. She thought she would be able to catch Lazarus before he found Tish and coerced her to go with him to the roof, but she hadn't thought the plan through, and now she was struggling between combing the crowd and trying to fight the urge to find a quiet corner and hide.

"Excuse me?"

Ember turned at the voice, only to stop when she recognised him: it was the man who would speak to Martha's mother later and tell her horrible things about the Doctor. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The man nodded. "Yes, actually. I'm a representative of Harold Saxon. Are you Miss Ember?"

"I'd rather not answer that."

"Yes, he did tell me that you'd say something like that." The man said, making Ember tilt her head. "He hasn't said much about you, but he has told me to deliver a message if I were to see you here tonight."

"And that is?"

"He wants to offer a partnership to you. One that would benefit both parties. Would you be interested?"

Ember spotted Martha and the Doctor coming out of the elevator and sighed to herself. That means she had run out of time. "Put nicely, the answer is no. Not so nicely; tell him he can stick his offer where the sun doesn't shine."

She pushed past him, glad that he didn't attempt to stop her, and caught up with her friends near the centre of the room, just as they were talking to Martha's brother.

"Yeah, well, he was getting cosy with Tish a couple of minutes ago." The man said, oblivious to the danger.

"With Tish?" Martha said, frowning when she saw Ember reach them. "You knew?"

"I thought I could cut him off at the pass, but..." Ember bit her lip: they didn't know the truth behind Harold Saxon yet, and it would be dangerous for them to be alerted now. "I got distracted."

"Distracted how?" Martha asked, ignoring her mother who had approached them.

The Doctor ignored her as well, looking at Leo. "Where did they go?"

"Upstairs, I think. Why?"

"Doctor-" Francine tried again, only to get splashed by her own drink as the Doctor grabbed Ember's hand and pushed past the older woman. "I'm speaking to you!"

"Not now, Mum!" Martha called as she followed the two. The three of them piled into the elevator and headed back up. "Ember, why didn't you say he was after Tish?"

"Martha, we've explained already, she can't tell us too much, it would muck up the timelines," the Doctor said as he shifted impatiently.

"I'm sorry," Ember said. "I really thought I could find him first..."

The Doctor pulled her to him in a one-armed hug. "It's not your fault."

"Please tell me he doesn't get her too!" Martha said.

"No: if we're fast enough we'll catch them before he turns," Ember glanced up at the led that showed what floor they were on. "But just to be safe, I'm gonna speed it up. He took her to the roof. Couldn't risk taking her to his office and have her see the body."

They reached the top floor and got out since the elevator wasn't designed to go the roof, taking the nearest stairs up. Ember was glad that her body was used to all the running by now; the stairs would have killed her at the beginning of her travels.

When they reached the door to the roof, the Doctor slowed them down and put a finger to his lips before he opened the door and led them out, just in time to hear Lazarus speaking to Tish from where they were standing near the edge of the roof.

"Between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the act-"

"Falls the Shadow." The Doctor finished the quote, making the two turn to look at the new arrivals.

Lazarus covered up his surprise with a smile. "So the mysterious Doctor knows his Eliot. I'm impressed."

"Martha, what are you doing here?" Tish asked. The older sister stepped forward.

"Tish, get away from him."

"What? Don't tell me what to do."

The Doctor took little notice of the sibling squabble that was occurring. "I wouldn't have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus, what with you being busy defying the laws of nature and all."

"You're right, Doctor." Lazarus said. "One lifetime's been too short for me to do everything I'd like. How much more I'll get done in two or three or four."

"Doesn't work like that. Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters, it's the person."

"But if it's the right person... what a gift that would be."

"Or what a curse." The Doctor shot back calmly. "Look at what you've done to yourself..."

"Who are you to judge me?"

Martha was trying to coax her sister to her side, away from the man. "Over here, Tish."

Tish obliged, if only to get closer so she wouldn't have to raise her voice. "You have to spoil everything, don't you? Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find fault."

Martha wanted to roll her eyes, not noticing the man in question suddenly convulse and fall to the ground. "Tish, he's a monster!"

"I know the age thing's a bit freaky, but it works for Catherine Zeta-Jones." Tish stopped when she heard a crunching sound behind her, turning to see the monstrosity Lazarus had become: a massive, scorpion-like creature with a massive rib cage and his face on a long neck. "What's that?"

Ember felt the nibbles she'd had earlier threaten to come back up. They never showed the actual transformation on tv, and she understood why now; what she'd just seen would suit only the best horror and gore films. "Never mind that!"

"Run!" The Doctor grabbed her hand again and pulled her as the four of them ran, going back through the door and slamming it shut behind them and using his Sonic to lock it before he urged them down the stairs to the next floor down.

"Are you okay?" Martha asked her sister.

"... I was going to snog him."

Ember swallowed hard to fight back the nausea. "Please don't. I feel sick enough already."

The lights flickered as the creature that was once Lazarus tried to break the door in. Suddenly, an alarm sounded.

"Security one. Security one." An automated voice repeated. "Security one..."

"What's happening?" Martha asked as the lights went out and doors began to close.

Tish swallowed hard. "An intrusion. It triggers a security lockdown. Kills most of the power. Stops the lifts, seals the exits."

"He must be breaking through that door." The Doctor said, glancing up as there was another loud bang from above. "The stairs, come on!"

Another loud bang came as they ran as fast as they could down the stairs, and Martha looked up. "He's inside!"

"We haven't got much time!"

In a shorter time than Ember thought possible, the four of them reached the reception room. The guests were confused at the sudden security breach, but not overly concerned since they didn't know what was happening.

"Tish, is there another way out of here?" The Doctor asked.

"There's an exit in the corner, but it'll be locked now."

"Martha, setting fifty four. Hurry!" He tossed her his Sonic before he jumped up onto the platform of the central chamber of the machine that started all this, raising his voice to be heard by the crowd. "Listen to me! You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!"

A blonde woman wearing a gold dress near the front scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. The biggest danger here is choking on an olive."

A low growl made them look up, to see Lazarus standing on the mezzanine above them, and people began to panic as he jumped down and smashed a table.

"There's your olive!" Ember yelled as she moved and shoved the woman towards the crowd. "Now move!"

The mutant that was Lazarus turned, sweeping tables across the room with its tail. One table ended up crashing into Leo as he'd moved to protect his mother. "Leo!"

"Over here!" Martha yelled as the doors finally opened. "This way! Everyone downstairs now! Hurry!"

Ember turned at the sound of a scream, spotting the woman who'd spoken before now separated from the crowd with Lazarus looming over her. The monster's jaw opened sideways as its tail curved to open a second mouth.

"No!" The Doctor yelled, but was ignored. "Get away from her!"

Ember froze in shock, unable to tear her eyes away as Lazarus used both mouths to feed on the poor woman. The sight of it alone made her throw both hands over her mouth in horror. Another moment passed, and the desiccated corpse of what was once a vibrant young woman fell to the floor.

Then the shock and horror gave way. To anger.

"How dare you!" She shouted. Lazarus turned to face her, though now her anger was pushing aside the revulsion she felt. "That was a human being! With a heart and thoughts and life! How dare you take that from her!"

To one side, she saw Martha run to her mother and brother. On the other, the Doctor was running toward her, and in moments was at her side. It was then that she noticed that she was standing where he should have been at this point.

"What's the point? You can't control it. The mutation's too strong!" He called. "Killing those people won't help you. You're a fool. A vain old man who thought he could defy nature. Only Nature got her own back, didn't she? You're a joke, Lazarus! A footnote in the history of failure!"

Lazarus growled and lunged, but the Doctor was already pulling Ember with him as he took off down the corridor behind them.

"What were you thinking?" He said to Ember as they ran. "You were making him mad!"

"Oh, and you weren't?" Ember shot back. The anger she was feeling was beginning to die down. "You called him a joke!"

"Well, I... had a plan!"

"No you didn't! You never do! You just have things!"

Their argument carried on until they reached the basement, where they clambered among pipes and control panels in an attempt to hide. A loud thud told them that they weren't alone.

"It's no good, Doctor." Lazarus' voice hissed, raspy and scratchy. "You can't stop me."

"Is that the same arrogance you had when you swore nothing had gone wrong with your device?" The Doctor replied, hoping the pipes would echo his voice to make it harder to find him.

"The arrogance is yours. You can't stand in the way of progress."

"You call feeding on innocent people progress? You're delusional!"

"It is a necessary sacrifice."

Ember bristled, but the Doctor put his hand on her shoulder to sto her from talking. "That's not your decision to make."

Suddenly, lights came back on, illuminating the basement and revealing their hiding place better.

"Peek a boo."

The Doctor and Ember looked up to see Lazarus hanging from the ceiling above them. "Oh, hello..."

Ember moved first this time, grabbing the Doctor's hand and running out and down another corridor. Rooms and stairs went by in blurs as they ran until they found another laboratory similar to the one they'd used earlier. The Doctor jumped up onto a bench to begin taking apart the light fixture as Ember ran around turning on the Bunsen burners or pulling out gas tubes to fill the room with gas. Once that was done, the two ran over to hide behind a bench on the far side of the room and waited.

Suddenly, Ember flinched as her head gave a harsh throb, biting her lip as images suddenly flooded into her mind...

_Lazarus entered the laboratory in his monsterous form, growling something. The Doctor spoke back, then stood to give a final taunt before running out the far door, flicking the light switch on as he went._

_But the light did not turn on; it did not spark and set the room alight. Lazarus crossed the room in a heartbeat and caught up with the Doctor, grabbing him and feeding. The Doctor died screaming, the death too fast for regeneration to kick in._

_Ember wasn't there..._

Ember gasped as she was flung out of the vision, eyes wide as she tried to make sense of what she'd just seen.

"Ember? Ember are you alright?"

The brunette looked up at the voice. The Doctor was sitting beside her, alive and unharmed but looking at her in concern. She said the first thing that came to her mind. "It's broken... the light is broken... it's not going to spark..."

"What?" The Doctor asked, but before she could elaborate there was a thud from the other side of the room.

"More hide and seek, Doctor?" Lazarus growled. "How disappointing. Why don't you come out and face me?"

Ember swallowed hard, her mind coming up with an idea and praying it would work. Before she could chicken out, she spoke. "Have you looked in the mirror lately?"

The Doctor glanced at her in surprise, only to see her firmly nod at him. He then stood with her and faced the monster. "Why would I want to face that, hmm?"

With that, they turned and ran. Just as they exited the room, Ember stopped and turned back, staring intently at the light switch and trying to ignore Lazarus coming toward her.

_"Come on,"_ she thought desperately._ "Spark!"_ She closed her eyes and thought hard, thinking about the candle she'd melted, the hotel rooms she'd burnt away...

The image of the Doctor dying was what triggered it. Something in the room sparked and ignited the gas, making the room explode. Ember was sent flying back from the force, landing on her back and skidding slightly on the tiled floor.

She only had a moment to gather herself before the Doctor was kneeling over her, grabbing her arms and pulling her up. "What the hell did you do?!"

"Needed a spark..." she murmured, shaking her head to clear it as the Doctor helped her to her feet. "What just happened? I saw..."

"Explain later!" The Doctor said, holding on to her arm as he took off, forcing her to follow this time. She glanced back at the burning lab, seeing no movement within, and wasn't sure how she should have felt about that.

She was brought out of the thought when the two turned a corner and almost crashed right into Martha.

"What are you doing here?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm returning this." The young woman handed him the Sonic. "I thought you might need it."

"How did you...?"

"I heard the explosion. I guessed it was you."

"Ember blasted Lazarus."

The brunette blinked at how casual the Doctor had said that. Did that mean she'd done it before?

Martha looked at her. "Did you kill him?"

"Um..." a loud crash and growling came from the hallway. "No."

"More sort of annoyed him, I'd say." The Doctor said, grabbing both of them and pulling them with him. The trio ended up back in reception before they knew it, stopping near the machine in the middle.

"What now?" Martha said. "We've just gone round in a circle."

"We can't lead him outside." The Doctor murmured before he caught sight of the central chamber and ran to it. "Come on, get in!"

The three of them squirmed into the machine and shut the door just as they heard growls outside.

"Are we hiding?"

"No, he knows we're here." The Doctor said. His back was against the far wall, Martha on the other side with Ember sandwiched between them facing the Time Lord. "But this is his masterpiece. I'm betting he won't destroy it, not even to get at us."

"But we're trapped..."

"Well, yeah, that's a slight problem."

"You mean you don't have a plan?"

"Yes, the plan was to get inside here!"

"Then what?"

"Well, then I'd come up with another plan."

"In your own time, then."

Ember closed her eyes, trying not to think of the small box they were trapped in. It was enough of a tight squeeze for two people; with an extra person, bodies were pressed too close to her for comfort. "Reverse the polarity..."

The Doctor blinked at her in surprise before he cottoned in and squirmed to reach his pocket for his Sonic.

"Hey!" Martha said when an elbow nearly clipped her in the chin.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..." the Doctor muttered as he finally found what he was looking for. "Here we are..."

"What're you going to do with that?"

"Improvise."

Ember tried to take a deep breath as she felt the Doctor shift against her as he started to shimmy down. She couldn't move without pushing or hitting Martha, but she knew that the man needed to get to the panel at the bottom of the chamber. She heard something tap on the outside, and figured that Lazarus was trying to figure out how to get them out without damaging his precious machine. Keeping her eyes closed, she tried not to think about the man pressed against her, even as she felt parts of him she could have done with not feeling pressing or rubbing against her as he squirmed. She let out a tiny gasp of surprise when he stumbled slightly and had to grab her lower left leg to steady himself.

The Doctor himself was having just as much of a dilemma as he moved to lower himself to the panel on the floor. The small space meant that Ember was pushed flush against him, and while now was not the time, his mind was traitorously thinking up certain scenarios where that was not such a bad thing. It was egged on even more when he'd nearly lost his balance and grabbed the first thing he could to steady himself, which turned out to be her left foreleg, making her gasp just loud enough for him to hear. He glanced up to apologise and couldn't help but stare at the brunette, whose eyes were closed and was biting her lip as she shook just so slightly...

Martha thankfully didn't seem to notice the exchange, and her voice was a welcome distraction to both of them. "I still don't understand where that thing came from. Is it alien?"

"No, for once it's strictly human in origin." The Doctor replied, shaking his head and removing his hand from Ember's leg as he opened the panel and began messing with the wires inside.

"Human? How can it be human?"

"Probably from dormant genes in Lazarus's DNA. The energy field in this thing must have reactivated them. And it looks like they're becoming dominant."

"So it's a throwback..."

"Some option that evolution rejected for you millions of years ago, but the potential is still there. Locked away in your genes, forgotten about until Lazarus unlocked it by mistake."

"All that potential, bursting out and creating a monster," Ember added.

"It's like Pandora's box."

"Exactly." The Doctor agreed. "Nice shoes, by the way."

Suddenly there was a click, and the chamber lit up with blue lights and began to hum around them.

"Doctor, what's happening?" Martha asked.

"Sounds like he's switched the machine on."

"And that's not good, is it?"

"Well, I was hoping it was going to take him a little bit longer to work that out."

"I don't want to hurry you, but..."

"I know, I know! Nearly done."

"Well, what're you doing?"

"I'm trying to set the capsule to reflect energy rather than receive it."

"Will that kill it?"

Ember shuddered. She didn't like the thought of killing anything, but with Lazarus the way he was, death would be a blessing.

"When he transforms, he's three times his size. Cellular triplication." The Doctor explained quickly. "So he's spreading himself thin."

Martha began to breathe faster as panic began to set in. "We're going to end up like him!"

"You might, but we're not human!" Ember corrected. "There's no telling what we'll end up like! Doctor, hurry up!"

"Just one more!"

The whole chamber suddenly shuddered, and then powered down. Ember's tense muscles relaxed as she sighed in relief, putting her hands on the Doctor's shoulders to steady herself. Her legs felt almost like jelly; even more so when the Time Lord put a hand on her foreleg again. She opened her eyes to find him looking up at her from where he was knelt, her breath catching slightly at the stormy look in his eye...

Martha opened the door to the chamber, unwittingly breaking the two out of their moment and allowing them to scramble out of the chamber after her. "I thought we were going to go through the blender then."

"Really shouldn't take that long just to reverse the polarity." The Doctor said as he glanced back at the machine. "I must be a bit out of practice."

Ember weakly chuckled, trying to get the mental image out of her mind of the Doctor knelt before her with that look in his eye. Her own eyes caught a naked human man lying face down on the floor a few feet away, and she turned away. Even if she hadn't known he was still alive, the feeling of revulsion would have clued her in.

"Oh, God." Martha had seen him now. "He seems so human again. It's kind of pitiful."

The Doctor looked almost solemn. "Eliot saw that, too. 'This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper'."

Ember swallowed hard before she moved to one of the upturned tables and grabbed the tablecover that had been laid out on it beforehand. She then moved to where the body was and draped the cloth over it, giving the man the tiny bit of dignity he deserved. She then turned to look at the Doctor as he began to lead them to the exit. "Doctor, about earlier... I saw something, like a vision, but..."

"I'll explain later," he said gently. "I promise."

Ember wanted to argue, but found herself too tired to do so. She followed the Doctor and Martha to the exit and out of the building, her mind whirling with thoughts on what had happened in such a short span of time: the vision, setting off the gas, the look the Doctor had given her...

So lost in her own thoughts that she didn't realise how much time had passed until she heard the Doctor suddenly speak out loud.

"Ah, Mrs Jones. We still haven't finished our chat."

Ember looked up just in time to see Francine land a solid slap to the Doctor's face, his head snapping to the side with the force.

"Keep away from my daughter!" She practically snarled. She then surprised Ember by glaring at her. "And you as well."

"Mum, what are you doing?" Martha cried, pulling the woman away from them.

"All of the mothers, every time." The Doctor muttered, looking at Ember. "Are you alright?"

"I wasn't the one who got slapped." She replied, patting his arm as she watched the family in front of her. "She's got the wrong end of the stick."

"He is dangerous. I've been told things." Francine was saying to her daughter. "And she's just as bad! She knew this was going to happen and she did nothing!"

Ember flinched. The mother wasn't wrong.

Martha was shocked. "What are you talking about?"

"Look around you. Nothing but death and destruction!"

"This isn't their fault." Martha pushed her mother's hands off her. "They saved us, all of us!"

Leo chose that moment to chime in. "And it was Tish who invited everyone to this thing in the first place. I'd say technically, it's her fault."

Tosh elbowed him slightly, but any argument was interrupted when there was a loud crash from the street nearby, the ambulance's sirens suddenly no longer blaring. The Doctor glanced at them for a moment before he took off, with Ember close behind.

"Is it him?" He asked her as they ran.

"Yea," Ember replied. "I'm sorry..."

"No need. We'll find him."

On the next street, the ambulance was parked haphazardly by the road. The back doors were open, with two shrivelled up bodies in paramedic uniforms inside.

"Lazarus, back from the dead." The Doctor mused as Martha and then Tish caught up with them. "Should have known, really."

Martha forced her eyes away from the corpses, looking at the Doctor as he pulled out his Sonic to begin scanning for the escaped man. "Where's he gone?"

The Sonic pointed them toward an old building nearby. "That way. The church."

"Cathedral." Tish corrected. "It's Southwark Cathedral. He told me."

The Doctor led them inside the church, finding it empty. The Sonic was pointing toward the alter at the far end of the room.

"Do you think he's in here?" Martha asked, her voice low.

"Where would you go if you were looking for sanctuary?" The Doctor replied, following the Sonic's directions and approached the alter, finding Lazarus on the ground behind the nave. The man was sat on his hunches, shivering in a red blanket that he'd obviously taken from the ambulance earlier. It was unclear if he was aware of their presence until he spoke.

"I came here before, a lifetime ago." He said shakily, looking around the alter. "I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat here, just a child, the sound of planes and bombs outside."

"The Blitz." The Doctor said softly.

"You've read about it."

"I was there."

Lazarus scoffed. "You're too young."

"So are you." The Doctor pointed out.

Lazarus gave a weak laugh before grunting in pain, audible clicks and crunches as his body twisted under the blacket for a moment before he seemed to settle. "In the morning, the fires had died, but I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again. So defenceless. I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it."

"That's what you were trying to do today?"

"That's what I _did_ today."

"What about the other people who died?"

"They were nothing. I changed the course of history."

"Any of them might have done too." The Doctor had been walking around the man, keeping his attention away from the woman. "You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that."

"No, Doctor. Avoiding death; that's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fibre of being. I'm only doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more... successful."

The Doctor gave him a look as he grunted again. "Look at yourself. You're mutating! You've no control over it. You call that a success?"

"I call it progress. I'm more now that I was. More than just an ordinary human."

"There's no such thing as an ordinary human."

Martha moved slightly closer to the Doctor as Lazarus convulsed again. "He's going to change again any minute."

"I know." The Doctor replied, glancing up at the bell tower high above them. "If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I've an idea that might work."

"Up there?"

Ember glanced around and slowly moved so that he back was to the stairs that led up. She had to time it right...

"You're so sentimental, Doctor." Lazarus said, unwittingly interrupting them. "Maybe you are older than you look."

"I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one." The Doctor said, moving away from Martha and her sister and bending his knees to face the trembling man. "In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle, tired of losing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything turn to dust. If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone."

"That's a price worth paying."

The Doctor waited a breath before speaking, his eyes alone telling more than he was letting on. "Is it?"

Lazarus grunted again. "I will feed soon."

"I'm not going to let that happen."

"You've not been able to stop me so far."

"Leave him, Lazarus!" Ember suddenly said. She knew she was stealing Martha's line here, but she didn't want the woman or her sister to be in danger. She wasn't going to stand by this time. "Thought you'd learned from Lady Thaw that the older someone is, the worse they taste? Besides, didn't I blow up you and your lab?"

Lazarus turned to face her with a snarl, even as the Doctor realised what she was doing. "Ember, no..."

But he was too late. Lazarus lunged, but missed as Ember turned tail and bolted for the stairs. She ran up the first set and turned when she heard heels on stone, and frowned when she saw Martha and Tish run up to join her. "Hey, what are you doing here?!"

"Watching your back, now go!" Martha turned her and gave her a shove to get moving, her sister following. "Doctor! The tower!"

The three ladies ran up a narrow spiral staircase, pausing when they heard Lazarus groan and cry out at least one flight below them.

"Did you hear that?" Tish asked.

Martha nodded. "He's changed again. Keep moving. We've got to lead him up."

"Ember?! Martha?!" The Doctor's voice made them look over the side to see the man at the bottom looking up at them. "Take him to the top. The very top of the bell tower, do you hear me?!"

"Up to the top!" Martha called back. "Then what?"

"Martha, come on!" Tish pulled her sister along as they spotted shadows on the wall. Lazarus was now mutated and heading right for them.

Ember kept behind the two other women as they continued up, quickly finding themselves at the top and underneath the giant bell.

"There's nowhere to go." Tish said as they reached the far side. "We're trapped!"

Martha looked around. "This is where he said to bring him."

"All right, so then we're not trapped: We're bait."

"He knows what he's doing. We have to trust him."

"Ladies." Lazarus hissed as he made it to the top and faced them.

Martha put herself between her sister and the monster. "Stay behind me. If he takes me, make a run for it. Head down the stairs. You should have enough time."

"But-"

"Just do it, Tish!"

Lazarus began to cross the room, going under the bell rather than around it.

Ember tried to concentrate, trying to make a spark, or fire, or something, but she was too tired from her earlier stunt. The sound of an organ was beginning to pick up, making the monster swing its tail. The brunette saw the move and pushed Martha out of the way just in time, taking the hit herself. She fell back and over the edge of the wooden walkway, just barely catching the edge and hanging there.

"Ember!" Martha yelled, seeing Lazarus approach the hanging girl. "No! Get away from her!"

The sounds of the organ got louder, enough to throb the skull and rattle bones. Ember wanted to cover her ears, but to do so would mean letting go and falling. Lazarus writhed and twisted until he stumbled and fell off the edge, falling all the way down to the ground floor. The organ ceased playing a moment later.

Ember just about to lose her grip when Martha and Tish appeared, grabbing her arms and pulling her back up onto the walkway.

"Ember?" The Doctor called from the organ loft. "Martha?"

"I'm okay!" Martha called back. "We're all okay!"

"Yea!" Ember added before looking at the sisters. "Thanks."

"It's your Doctor you should be thanking." Tish said as she caught her breath.

Martha nodded. "I told you he'd think of something."

"He cut it a bit fine there, didn't he?"

"He always does. It's more fun that way."

"Who is he?"

"He's... he's the Doctor."

Ember nodded. That was all that needed to be said. She slowly pulled herself back to her feet. "Ok, let's go."

The three ladies made their way back to the stairs and down them, meeting the Doctor at the bottom. The man grinned when he saw for himself that they were ok, though he did take Ember by the hands and pull her closer.

"What were you thinking?" He asked.

Ember lowered her eyes to the ground, suddenly feeling like she'd done something wrong. "I didn't want Martha and Tish to get chased. I thought I could do it on my own. I guess I was wrong."

The Doctor let go of one of her hands to use his own to guide her head up to look at him again. "Please don't do that."

"Can't. Don't know if I do it in the future."

Martha stepped closer as she noticed the Doctor frowning slightly. "I didn't know you could play?"

Luckily, the Doctor took the chance to change the subject. "Oh, well, you know, if you hang around with Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up."

"Hmm. Especially about playing loud."

The Doctor leaned slightly, like he hadn't heard her. "Sorry?"

The four of them laughed, turning to walk away. Ember glanced back at Lazarus, the man having returned to his old state now that he was gone. The nauseous feeling she felt around him was also gone.

She sent a prayer to whatever god may be listening that he was at peace now.

"Doctor," She said, making the man turn to look at her. "In the show, your plan to blow up Lazarus worked, but in that vision it didn't and you died. Why did I see that?"

The Doctor looked at her for a long moment, the two of them hanging back slightly to let the sisters get out of earshot. "Whatever has triggered your power, also triggered a sort of... foresight. If something different happened in the show, sometimes you get a vision of it. Like the lab; if the light was broken, I would have died. If that had happened in the show, then it would have to end. There's a huge difference between the show and the here and now; you weren't in it. That makes a much bigger difference than you realise."

Ember shook her head. "And is this foresight part of whatever I am?"

"Not entirely. Time Lords can see timelines to an extent; what can be and what must not. You just have a different version of it, and it doesn't often get triggered. It's by far one of your weaker powers, to be honest."

"First I can control fire, now I can get visions of the future? What next? I'm starting to feel like a god..."

As she walked, she didn't realise that the Doctor had stopped for a moment, speaking too quietly for her to hear.

"If only you knew how close you are, Ember..."

* * *

After managing to persuade Tish to let them go on alone, Martha, Ember and the Doctor were now back at Martha's place.

The Doctor nodded to himself as he unlocked the Tardis, Ember leaning on the other door. "Something else that just kind of escalated, then."

"I can see a pattern developing." Martha said, a few steps away from them. "You should take more care in the future. And the past. And whatever other time period you find yourself in."

"It's good fun, though, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"So, what do you say," the Doctor inclined his head. "One more trip?"

Martha smiled, but shook her head. "No. Sorry."

"What do you mean? I thought you liked it."

"I do, but I can't go on like this. 'One more trip'. It's not fair."

"What're you talking about?"

Ember leaned over slightly. "This isn't just a treat for her."

Martha nodded. "I don't want to be just a passenger anymore. Someone you take along for a treat. If that's how you still see me, I'd rather stay here."

"Okay, then. If that's what you want."

"Right. Well, we've already said goodbye once today. It's probably best if you just go." Martha turned away for a moment, only to look back when she didn't hear them leave. "What is it?"

"What? I said okay."

"Sorry?"

"Okay." The Doctor tilted his head toward the Tardis again.

Ember smiled. "He means 'Okay, no more passenger. Let's go.'"

Martha's face broke out into a grin as she practically jumped at the Doctor, hugging him tight. "Oh, thank you, thank you!"

"Well, you were never really just a passenger, were you?" The Doctor grinned. "Plus, Ember likes you, so all the more reason for you to stay."

The Doctor and Martha stepped into the Tardis, ignoring the phone as it rang. Ember paused as she listened to the message that came.

_"Martha, it's your mother. Please phone me back. I'm begging you."_ Ember stepped inside the Tardis and closed the door, missing the rest of the message. _"I know who this Doctor really is. I know he's dangerous, and that Ember girl is even more! You're going to get yourself killed. **She's** going to get you killed! Please, trust me. This information comes from Harold Saxon himself. You're not safe!"_

* * *

Let me know what you think! I kinda struggled with this one, and I can't count how many times I cut out or re-added scenes. I just hope it turned out good.

Next Time: Ember almost goes on a date? Not just her own though, and it doesn't last long.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Vampires of Venice

Quick thing: I'm toying with the idea of ending this 'season' at chapter twenty. Not to end the whole thing - just to move it on to the next one. This fic is labelled 'The Beginning', remember?

So I'd like to hear what you think of the idea. Shall I do it, or should I keep it going for a few more chapters - twenty five, thirty? Hope to hear from you!

Here we go!

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Vampires of Venice

Ember sighed as she felt the burning sensation come up. She was barely able to say goodbye to the Doctor and Martha before she left, but was grateful that she'd had the time to change into a pair of light blue jeans with a dark red top and her singed denim jacket. She'd even managed to put on a pair of black converse this time too.

"Ember?"

The brunette looked up at the sound of her name, to see Amy looking at her with wide eyes. She also noticed that they were in the Tardis. "Hi. Um... are you okay?"

Amy was looking at her like she was expecting the brunette to turn into a monster and attack her. "Um, well, we were just... I mean I was just... it was..."

At that moment, the Tardis door opened and the Eleventh Doctor came in, pulling a confused Rory behind him. Ember saw that the man was wearing a brown vest over a red shirt with a picture of himself and Amy in a heart on the front. It took her a moment to think about where she'd seen that, and then she looked at Amy, who was still looking at the other side of the console.

"Oh," she murmured, moving to Amy's side as they watched the Doctor disappear under the console. "You kissed him, then?"

"... yes," Amy muttered before looking at her again. "Why aren't you mad?"

Ember blinked, puzzled. "Why would I be mad? It's not like he's my boyfriend. I am a little disappointed that you would do that on the night before your wedding, though."

Amy shrugged. "Spur of the moment. You know how it is."

"Hmm, dunno if I do, actually." With that, Ember left her to her thoughts and moved to where Rory was looking around in awe at the interior. "Hey. You ok?"

Rory blinked hard at her before he spoke. "You don't have a scar anymore..."

Ember shrugged. "No, I don't have it _yet_. Timelines are a bit different for me. For example, I've met you twice before, and neither of them were because of Prisoner Zero."

To her pleasant surprise, Rory seemed to take it much easier and quicker than others had. "Ok, you told me something like that before. You jump around..."

"Yep! So whatever I did that gets me a scar, I haven't done it yet, so please, no spoilers. Now, this shouldn't be about me. This is about you. Are you okay?"

"I just found out that my fiancé went and kissed another man right before we were gonna get married." Rory said with a straight face. "An alien man, might I add. How should I feel?"

Ember tilted her head. "Honestly? I wouldn't know. I never had a boyfriend. Well, not an official one..."

"But... you and the Doctor were..."

"Shh! Spoilers."

Rory covered his mouth with his hand for a moment before he took it away and spoke again. "I have to ask... am I wasting my time? Am I gonna lose her to him?"

Ember gave him a long look for a moment before she put her hand on his shoulder. "It might not look like it just yet, but Amy is in love with you. At the end of it, she's going to choose you. She already has, if you think about it. Don't let one mistake ruin your happiness. But if it will make you feel better, maybe have a chat with him? Trust me, he isn't out to take anything from you. He brought you here, didn't he?"

Rory looked thoughtful, but before he could speak, the Doctor did so from where he was on the lower level under the console, doing something to it.

"Oh, the life out there, it dazzles! I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans." Something sparked nearby, making him stop as Ember and Rory jumped. "It's meant to do that. Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it will tear you apart. So, I'm sending you somewhere, together."

Amy looked at him in surprise as he came back up to their level. "Whoa. What, like a date?"

"Anywhere you want. Any time you want. One condition: It has to be amazing. The Moulin Rouge in 1890. The first Olympic Games. Think of it as a wedding present, because it's either this or tokens." The Doctor stopped to face Rory. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it? Tiny box, huge room inside. What's that about? Let me explain..."

"It's another dimension?" Rory said simply.

"It's basically another dimension... What?"

"After what happened with Prisoner Zero, I've been reading up on all the latest scientific theories. FTL travel, parallel universes."

"...I like the bit when someone says it's bigger on the inside." The Doctor turned to pout at Ember. "I always look forward to that."

Ember smiled. "Doctor? It's bigger on the inside."

Beaming at getting what he wanted, the Doctor hugged her tightly. "Silly question, but have you met the Daleks yet?"

"Um... no?" For a moment, Ember was sure she felt him sag slightly and mutter "damn" before he pulled away with a grin. She'd seen it enough - on tv and in real life - to tell that he was doing that to hide something. She narrowed her eyes at him, but that only got him to wink at her.

"So, this date." Amy said, getting their attention. "I'm kind of done with running down corridors. What do you think, Rory?"

"How about somewhere romantic?" The Doctor offered, moving to the console. After pressing several switches and pulling levers, the Tardis finally settled and he ran over to the doors, followed by the others. Outside, they seemed to have arrived in a busy marketplace near a river, though no one so much as batted an eye at the appearance of the blue box.

"Venice!" The Doctor declared, throwing his arms out. He led them around the blue box as he spoke. "Venezia! La Serenissima! Impossible city. Preposterous city. Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the middle of the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world. Constantly being invaded, constantly flooding, constantly just beautiful."

Ember smiled and laughed when he casually draped an arm around her shoulders. Behind them, Amy shook her head with a smile while Rory looked slightly confused.

The Doctor grinned when he saw Ember smile. "Ah, you got to love Venice. So many people did. Byron, Napoleon, Casanova. Ooo, that reminds me." He checked his watch. "1580. That's all right. Casanova doesn't get born for a hundred and forty five years. Don't want to run into him. I owe him a chicken."

Rory blinked. "You owe Casanova a chicken?"

"Long story. We had a bet. And I didn't agree with his wager of a kiss from Ember."

That made the brunette pause. "He wanted to kiss me? Me? Was he desperate?"

The Doctor looked like he was about to argue, but they were stopped by a man in an officials outfit. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Papers, if you please. Proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection."

"There you go, fellow. All to your satisfaction, I think you'll find." The Doctor held out his psychic paper, grinning when the man's eyes widened at what he could see on it.

"I am so sorry, Your Holiness! I didn't realise."

The Doctor made a gesture to 'bless' the man. "No worries. You were just doing your job. Sorry, what exactly is your job?"

"Checking for aliens. Visitors from foreign lands what might bring the plague with them."

Amy lightly snapped the Doctor on the arm. "Oh, that's nice. See where you bring me? The plague."

The inspector bowed to her. "Don't worry, Viscountess. No, we're under quarantine here. No one comes in, no one goes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron, Signora Rosanna Calvierri." The inspector said, tapping a wooden clipboard he was holding. It had a symbol on it like a crest

The Doctor tilted his head. "How interesting. I heard the plague died out years ago."

"Not out there. No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said."

"Did she now..."

Rory took the psychic paper from the Inspector, who bowed and moved on to his next target. "So you're his holiness, you two are viscountesses... Er, according to this, I am your eunuch."

"Oh yeah. I'll explain later." Any quickly said as she ran to catch up with the Doctor and Ember. "So, on to our double date."

Ember had nodded before she realised what Amy just said. "Wait a minute, double date? This was one date, just for you guys! Me and the Doctor were going to, um..."

"Yes?" Amy asked when the brunette trailed off. "You're going to... go on a date on your own? Right, Doctor?"

The Doctor looked slightly flustered, but turned to Ember. "Um, we could, um... go have something to eat while we wait for them..."

Ember blinked. Was the Doctor asking her on a date? No, he couldn't be... could he?

They'd reached a stone rail facing the canal, and a flash of white caught her attention. On the other side of the river were several young women, walking two by two, dressed in white dresses with veils and parasols.

"The Calvierri girls." Someone nearby whispered.

"You're gonna want to see this," Ember said, thankful for the diversion away from the topic of dates. She didn't see the Doctor pout slightly before he joined her, Amy and Rory doing the same.

As they watched, an older, dark skinned man with a short, black beard suddenly appeared, running up to the girls and lifting their veils. He was calling for someone named Isabella and seemed to find her for a moment before one of the other girls knocked him down. Her back was to the travelers, so they didn't see what the man saw, by they saw his horrified expression as the girls were quickly escorted away.

The Doctor watched for a moment longer before he grabbed Ember's hand and took off, easily finding the man walking dejectedly down the path. Just as the man passed them, he spoke.

"Who are those girls?" He asked, making the man jump and turn to them.

"I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school."

"Our first day here. It's okay. Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools. They move house, they change religion." The Doctor looked the man dead in the eye. "So why are you trying to get her out?"

The man hesitated before answering, apparently seeing something in them that told him they could be trusted. "Something happens in there. Something magical, something evil. My own daughter didn't recognise me. And the girl who pushed me away, her face... like an animal."

The Doctor looked thoughtful. "I think it's time I met this Signora Calvierri."

"It's gonna be tough," Ember said, turning to the man. "We'll need someone to divert their attention while we get inside. What's your name? Can you help?"

"If it will help get my daughter out of there, then I will help. My name is Guido."

* * *

"You have my daughter!" Guido yelled as he tried to rush the front gates. "Isabella!"

After a small briefing of a possible way to get in and where they would meet later, Guido was happy to play the diversion to give his two new friends time to find their way in.

The Doctor and Ember quickly took advantage of the distraction and snuck around to a water gate, which was easily unlocked by the Sonic. They slowly moved down a set of stone steps into what looked like a cellar with a vaulted roof.

An ornate mirror was hung on the wall, facing three doors, and it caught the Doctor's attention as he moved to stand in front of it.

"Hello, handsome." He said to himself, adjusting his bow tie before he gently tugged Ember to stand in front of him and face the mirror herself. "Hello, beautiful."

Ember blushed, turning her eyes away. She never much liked mirrors, not often liking what she saw. "You must be desperate. I am nowhere near classed as beautiful."

The Doctor frowned, gently taking her hands in his as he put his chin on her shoulder. "But you are! Just look; smooth skin, lovely hair, stunning eyes..."

Ember blinked, looking at herself as requested. She realised something that she hadn't noticed before; her face was completely free of blemishes, no spots or wrinkles of any kind. She was sure she had a huge problem with breakouts before she came to this world, and wondered what it was that stopped it now. Maybe it was the soap she used? Her hair looked soft and healthy-looking despite it being tied back into a ponytail, and her eyes - the grey had lightened again to make them look silver - were nice to look at. "... I don't get it. I never looked like this before..."

"Well, I have a theory on why you'd have thought that. You see..."

"Who are you?"

Several voices spoke the question at once, making the two jump and turn to find five of the girls they'd seen before were now standing behind them.

The Doctor looked between the girls and the mirror, noticing that they had no reflection. "How are you doing that? I am loving it. You're like Houdini, only five slightly scary girls, and he was shorter. Will be shorter. I'm rambling."

The girls spoke again, in perfect unison. "I'll ask you again, signor, signora. Who are you?"

"Why don't you check this out?" The Doctor whipped out what he thought was his psychic paper. When the girls looked blankly at it, he turned it to see a small picture of his first incarnation. "Library card. Of course, it's with..." he mimed a big nose to Ember, who nodded. "He's... I need a spare. Pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight and can't be seen... Ha! Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking? But the city. Why shut down the city? Unless-"

"Leave now, signor, signora, or we shall call for the Steward, if you are lucky."

"Oooh..." The Doctor's eyes widened as the girls' teeth suddenly sharpened into needles and they advanced on the two. Ember started pulling the Doctor back up the stairs, only for him to stop and face the girls. "Tell me the whole plan!" The girls simply hissed. "One day that will work. Listen, I would love to stay here. This whole thing. I'm thrilled. Oh, this is Christmas!"

"You want to be eaten for Christmas?" Ember snapped as she grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him back, finally getting him to run with her back up the stairs and outside.

The Doctor grinned as they ran, but only got to the stone railing they'd been at before the Doctor nearly crashed into Amy.

"Doctor!"

"We just met some vampires!" He said, grinning along with the redhead.

"We just saw a vampire!"

Ember raised a brow at them as they talked over each other and held each other's arms while jumping almost giddily.

"And creepy girls and everything!"

"Vampires!"

Rory finally caught up with them, panting. "We think we just saw a vampire."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Amy was just telling me."

"Yeah, yeah. The Doctor actually went to their house!"

"Oh." Rory saw them gushing again. "Right. Well..."

Ember moved to his side and patted his shoulder. "It's okay. You'll get it soon enough too."

Before he could ask her what she meant, the Doctor spoke again, seemingly over his gushing. "Okay. So, first we need to get back in there somehow."

"What?" Rory asked instead.

Amy ignored him. "How do we do that?"

"Back in where?"

The Doctor grinned, moving to take Ember's hand. "Come and meet our new friend."

* * *

The four travellers had gone to Guido's home, filling each other in on what they'd found (Ember had chosen not to mention the Doctor's comment on her appearance), and were now stood at a large table with the man, looking over a large vellum map of Venice that was laid out on the table.

Well, Amy and the Doctor were at the table. Rory was sat on a barrel on the other side of the room while Ember was sat on the bed that was tucked in one corner.

"As you saw, there's no clear way in: The House of Calvierri is like a fortress." Guide said to them, pointing to the map. "But there's a tunnel underneath it, with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house. I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor."

Amy looked thoughtful. "You need someone on the inside."

"No." The Doctor said instantly, not even looking up.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"Uh, that we pretend you're an applicant for the school to get you inside, and tonight you come down and open the trapdoor to let us in."

"...Oh. So you do know what I was going to say."

Rory looked at his bride-to-be in shock. "Are you insane?"

"We don't have another option!"

"He said no, Amy! Listen to him."

"There is another option." Guido pointed to the barrels. "I work at the Arsenale. We build the warships for the navy."

The Doctor got up and moved over to the nearest barrel, sniffing it. "Gunpowder." He ignored how Rory quickly moved away from them, instead moving himself to stand beside Ember. "Most people just nick stationery from where they work. Look, I have a thing about guns and huge quantities of explosive."

Guido thumped his hands on the table before turning to tend the fireplace behind him. "What do you suggest, then? We wait until they turn her into an animal?"

"I'll be there three, four hours, tops." Amy tried to persuade him.

"No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. It can't keep happening like this. This is how they go." The Doctor shifted to sit on the bed right next to Ember, surprising the brunette by putting his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. She froze, but didn't pull away. "But I have to know. We go together, say you're my daughter."

If Rory looked shocked before, he was terrified now. "What?! Don't listen to him!"

"Your daughter?" Amy said, ignoring her fiancé. "You look about nine."

The Doctor shrugged. "Brother, then."

"Too weird. Fiancé."

"No." Ember blinked at that, at how firm the word was said and was it just her, or did the Doctor breifly tighten his hold on her? And did Amy suddenly look ashamed that she'd said that?

Rory didn't seem to notice the exchange. "I'm not having him run around telling people he's your fiancé."

"No." Amy said quickly. "No, you're right."

"Thank you..."

"I mean, they've already seen the Doctor. You should do it."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You can be my brother." Amy ruffled his hair playfully.

"Why is him being your brother weird, but with me, it's okay?"

"Actually," Guido spoke up. "I thought you were her fiancé."

Ember had expected him to indicate the Doctor and Amy, but she was surprised when he simply gestured to her. She saw the Doctor grin out of the corner of her eye and wondered just what she was missing.

"Yeah, that's not helping." The Doctor said despite the grin on his face.

"This whole thing is mental." Rory said, shaking his head. "They're vampires, for God's sake!"

"We hope."

Amy glanced at the Doctor when he'd spoken. "So if they're not vampires..."

"Makes you wonder what could be so bad it doesn't actually mind us thinking it's a vampire." He stuck out his teeth in a vampire like fashion, making a small hiss sound at Ember to make her smile.

* * *

A short while later, Guido, the Doctor, Ember and Rory were in a gondola. Rory had just come back from dropping Amy off at the school, and they were now getting ready to sneak in themselves. Ember couldn't help a slight smile at Guido, who was now wearing Rory's red top, having swapped clothes with him. The poor man not only stood out like a sore thumb, but he must have been sweating buckets in that.

The Doctor looked at Rory, who was looking tense. He was holding a flaming torch to provide light in the dark. "She'll be fine."

"You can promise me that, can you?" Rory replied.

"He can't, but I can." Ember said. The two men looked at her. "Well, I haven't seen anything to point to the alternative, so as far as I'm concerned, she's fine."

She couldn't say out loud about seeing the show or her newly discovered power of visions. Not with Guido in earshot. He'd think she was a witch or something.

"We're here." The man suddenly said, stopping the gondola. The Doctor, Ember and Rory made for a set of stone stairs going up into a tunnel while Guido stayed behind to be ready for a quick exit.

"Right. Okay, I'll go first." The Doctor said. "If anything happens to me, go back-"

"What happened, between you and Amy?" Rory suddenly cut in, apparently unable to wait any longer. "You said she kissed you."

"Now? You want to do this now?"

"I have a right to know! I'm getting married in four hundred and thirty years."

The Doctor hesitated, and Ember had to nudge him to get him to talk. "She was frightened. I was frightened. But we survived, you know, and the relief of it... and so she kissed me."

"And you kissed her back."

"No. I kissed her mouth."

Ember shook her head. "Not what he meant, Doctor."

"Funny." Rory deadpanned. "How would you like it if, I dunno... Ember kissed me?"

Ember was surprised at that, but became even more so when the Doctor replied without missing a beat. "I'd Sonic your lips shut and kiss her myself."

"Pardon?" Ember said, and the Doctor went wide-eyed as he realised what he'd just said.

"Um, spoilers?" He said weakly. He fidgeted slightly as Ember gave him a flat look. "Um, it's not important right now. But Rory. Rory, she kissed me because I was there. It would have been you. It should have been you."

"Yeah, it should have been me."

"Exactly! That's why I brought you here." A strong wind came through the tunnel at that moment, blowing out their torch and putting them in near darkness. "Can we go and see the vampires now, please?"

Ember managed to grab the sleeve of his jacket. "We're gonna talk out this later, you know."

They fell into silence for a bit, and then they reached the trapdoor Guido told them about. After a bit of deliberation, the Doctor ended up climbing onto Rory's shoulders to reach it and push it open before climbing inside. He then leaned out of the trapdoor to help Ember, who Rory had insisted go next, and then himself.

"Come on." The Doctor urged as he and Ember pulled Rory up. "There we are. Amy... Where's Amy? Amy?"

"I can't see a thing." Rory rummaged about in his borrowed jacket until he came up with a small penlight. "Just as well I brought this, then."

The Doctor looked at it for a moment before he reached into the inside pocket of his own jacket and brought out a larger, brighter, purple/blue light. "Ultraviolet. Portable sunlight."

Rory paused, looking at it. "Yours is bigger than mine."

Ember snorted as the Doctor gave Rory a flat look. "Let's not go there."

Ember looked around and tried to concentrate on her powers, trying to get a spark or some fire or something, but she couldn't seem to do it. "Ugh, guess I'm out of fire for now."

The Doctor smiled and gave her a one-armed hug before looking around, examining the courtyard they'd ended up in as best he could with the light. Ember nudged him and pointed to a nearby chest that had a skeletal hand sticking out of it.

"If we cancel now, we lose the deposit on the village hall. The salsa band..." Rory was saying, only to trail off when the Doctor opened the chest and revealed several withered corpses. They reminded Ember of the victims of Lazarus. "Oh... What happened to them?"

The Doctor leaned closer to scan the corpses with his Sonic. "They've had all the moisture taken out of them."

"That's what vampires do, right? They drink your blood and replace it with their own."

"Yeah, except these people haven't just had their blood taken, but all the water in their entire bodies."

"Why did they die? Why aren't they like the girls in the school?"

"Maybe not everyone survives the process..."

Rory gave him a long look before he turned to stomp away for a moment, and then he spoke. "You know what's dangerous about you? It's not that you make people take risks, it's that you make them want to impress you. You make it so they don't want to let you down. You have no idea how dangerous you make people to themselves when you're around."

"Rory, that's not fair," Ember said, spotting the Doctor's feeble attempt to hide the hurt look that crossed his face. She didn't like it when people accused the Doctor of such things, especially when she knew how he himself felt about it: she knew that he'd lost a lot more than even she knew, and that it hurt to see people he cared about get hurt while under his watch.

"Who are you?"

Six female voices spoke at once, making them turn to see the owners had appeared: the same girls as before. The Doctor quickly moved between them and Rory and waved his light at them, making them flinch and step back.

"We should run. Run!" He said, grabbing Ember by the hand and taking off with Rory behind them. They ran through several tunnels before they nearly crashed into a man and woman that Ember recognised as Rosanna and Francesco in a doorway. "Cab for Amy Pond?"

The girls caught up to them, as did Amy and Isabella, but didn't approach as Rosanna looked at them.

"This rescue plan." She said calmly. "Not exactly watertight, is it?"

"Ah ha!" The Doctor thrust his light at them, making them back off and giving him, Ember, Rory, Amy and Isabella time to run into the other tunnel at the latter's insistance.

"Quickly, through here!" She said as Amy and Rory had a very brief reunion. The group followed, hearing Rosanna give the command for the house to be sealed. To their surprise, the tunnel led back to the courtyard where they quickly made their way through the trapdoor.

"They're not vampires!" Amy called as they ran.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"I saw them. I saw her. They're not vampires, they're aliens!"

The Doctor laughed as he soniced the trapdoor to buy them time. "Classic!"

"That's good news?" Rory said, shocked. "What is wrong with you people?"

"Come on, Rory. Move! Keep moving!"

The 'vampires' were still catching up, but had to fall back when the Doctor waved his light at them. They reached the tunnel entrance they'd used earlier, where there was daylight coming in and bells ringing from somewhere. Guido was standing beside his gondola, and his face lit up when he saw his daughter among them.

"Quickly, quickly! Get out! Quick. Quick!" The young woman made the others go ahead of her, but she recoiled when the sunlight touched her skin.

"No!" Ember cried, making the others stop and look back. She yanked off her denim jacket and threw it over Isabella, pulling her out of the doorway just as the other girls reached the door and flinched back from the sunlight.

The group quickly got back on the gondola and got away, the Doctor also removing his jacket to help keep the sunlight off of Isabella.

* * *

Once they had returned to Guido's home, the Doctor decided to go and confront Rosanna after Amy gave him a description of what she really looked like. Ember, after a small argument, was able to go with him. The Doctor was now sitting on Rosanna's throne with Ember leaned on the side of it, and they didn't have to wait long before the woman herself walked in.

"Long way from Saturnyne, aren't you..." the Doctor spoke first. "Sister of the Water?"

Rosanna opened her mouth to speak, only to have a second thought. "No, let me guess. The owner of the psychic paper. Then I take it you're a refugee, like me?"

"I'll make you a deal. An answer for an answer. You're using a perception filter. It doesn't change your features, but manipulates the brainwaves of the person looking at you. But seeing one of you for the first time in, say, a mirror, the brain doesn't know what to fill the gap with, so leaves it blank, hence no reflection."

"Your question?"

"Why can we see your big teeth?"

Ember rolled her eyes. Why was that important?

Rosanna shrugged. "Self preservation overrides the mirage. The subconscious perceives the threat and tries to alert the conscious brain."

"What about Isabella?"

"My turn. Where are you from?"

"Gallifrey."

Rosanna looked at them with interest now. "You should be in a museum. Or in a mausoleum."

"Why are you here?"

"We ran from the Silence. Why are you here?"

"Wedding present. The Silence?"

"There were cracks. Some were tiny. Some were as big as the sky. Through some we saw worlds and people, and through others we saw Silence and the end of all things. We fled to an ocean like ours, and the crack snapped shut behind us. Saturnyne was lost."

The Doctor looked at Ember, who nodded. "So Earth is to become Saturnyne Mark Two?"

"And you can help me. We can build a new society here, as others have. What do you say?"

"What about Isabella?" Ember cut in as the Doctor rose from the throne.

"Isabella?"

"The girl who saved us. Can we return her to normal?"

"Had it been a day earlier, yes. But she is too far gone to be fully human again, yet too human to be one of us. A waste, if you ask me." Rosanna waved it off. "I need an answer, Doctor. A partnership. Any which way you choose."

The Doctor made a face. "I don't think that's such a good idea, do you? I'm a Time Lord. You're a big fish. Think of the children. Besides, I'm already taken."

Ember blinked, puzzled by that extra bit at the end. She would have asked, but Rosanna's call for Carlo made her realise that it wasn't the right place.

"You're right." The woman - or fish alien? - said as the called man entered. "We're nothing alike. I will bend the heavens to save my race, while you philosophise."

"This ends today. I will tear down the House of Calvierri, stone by stone." The Doctor saw Carlo about to grab Ember, and surprised them all by almost snarling "Don't even think about touching her, Carlo." Before focusing on the other woman again. "And you know why? You didn't know her name. You didn't know Isabella's name."

With that, the Doctor took Ember by the hand and led her away, storming out of the front gates. Ember bit her lip for a moment, about to speak when the Doctor turned and pulled her into an embrace, resting his forehead against hers. "Doctor?"

"Just for a moment," he murmured softly, his eyes closed. "I just need a moment..."

Ember was puzzled, but allowed him to remain that way for a few moments before she spoke. "Doctor, I know this probably isn't a good time to ask, but... you said you were taken?"

The Doctor opened his eyes to look at her. "It's probably a bit early for me to say... but yes, I am taken. Quite happily, actually."

"Hmm." Ember filed that away for later, wondering why her hearts seemed to pick up and drop at the same time. "Well, we better get back before Amy comes looking."

Nodding, the Doctor seemed reluctant to let her go, but allowed it, even if he still had a hold of her hand.

* * *

Back at Guido's home, after giving the father and daughter the bad news that there was nothing that could be done about her condition, the Doctor checked the puncture wounds that Amy had sustained with his Sonic. Guido and Rory had also swapped their clothes back.

"You're fine." The Doctor said after a moment, producing a humbug from his pocket. "Open wide."

Ember smirked as he popped the sweet into Amy's mouth. "Will I get a lollipop on my next checkup, Doctor?"

She had been joking, but the Doctor surprised her by handing her exactly that; a blue lollipop in plastic wrapping. She quickly found out that it was blue raspberry; her favourite.

The Doctor smiled when he saw her eyes light up at tasting the lollipop, but then had to look away when she began to enjoy it in earnest. Sometimes the young woman was so innocent it had to be illegal on some planets: in fact, it was. He moved to sit at the head of the table. Amy to his right and Rory, Guido and Isabella on his left while Ember moved to stand between him and Rory. "Argh. I need to think. Come on, brain. Think, think, think. Think."

"If they're fish people, it explains why they hate the sun." Any said around the sweet in her mouth.

The Doctor put his hand over her mouth. "Stop talking, brain thinking, hush."

"It's the school thing I don't understand." Rory began, but then the Doctor put his other hand over his mouth.

"Stop talking, brain thinking, hush."

"I say we take the fight to them." Guido said.

"Ah, ah, ah."

Guido blinked. "What?"

"Ah!" The Doctor looked at Rory and gestured with his head until the man covered Guido's mouth. "Her planet dies, so they flee through a crack in space and time and end up here. Then she closes off the city and, one by one, starts changing the people into creatures like her to start a new gene pool. Got it. But then what? They come from the sea. They can't survive for ever on land, so what's she going to do? Unless she's going to do something to the environment to make the city habitable. She said, I shall bend the heavens to save my race. Bend the heavens. Bend the heavens..."

Ember watched him bob Amy and Rory's heads as he tried to think, and then she pulled the lollipop out of her mouth to speak. "What does bend the heavens mean for certain cultures?"

The Doctor glanced at her, and Rory, misunderstanding, covered the brunette's mouth with his hand. He then yelped and pulled his hand back. "Ow! Did you just bite me?!"

"Sorry, should have mentioned that." The Doctor said as Ember looked embarrassed and moved to his other side. "She doesn't like having her mouth covered. Never once saw anyone do that and not get bit; not even me."

"Sorry," Ember mumbled around her lollipop. She'd just acted without thinking. "Um, Doctor, bend the heavens, it's another way of saying make it rain. Heavy. Enough to cause flooding."

The Doctor glanced at her again before it clicked. "She's going to sink Venice."

"She's going to sink Venice?" Guido repeated.

"And repopulate it with the girls she's transformed."

Rory frowned. "You can't repopulate somewhere with just women. You need... blokes."

"She's got blokes." Amy suddenly said.

The Doctor looked at her. "Where?"

"In the canal. She said to me there are ten thousand husbands waiting in the water."

The Doctor leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "Only the male offspring survived the journey here. She's got ten thousand children swimming around the canals, waiting for Mum to make them some compatible girlfriends. Urgh. I mean, I've been around a bit, but really that's... that's eugh."

There was a loud thump and a creak from above them. The Doctor glanced up. "The people upstairs are very noisy."

"There aren't any people upstairs." Guido said.

"Do you know, I knew you were going to say that. Did anyone else know he was going to say that? Besides Ember, who probably knew that already."

Rory looked nervous. "Is it the vampires?"

"Like I said, they're not vampires." The Doctor lifted the UV light and turned it on. "Fish from space."

The window on the other side of the room broke open, sending glass flying as the group got up and backed off. The girls from the Calvierri House were reaching in, hissing through their fangs.

"Aren't we on the second floor?" Rory asked as the other window to their right was smashed by more girls. Doctor brought out the UV light to keep the girls back as he soniced them, revealing their true appearance: large aliens that were a cross between fish and insect.

"What's happened to them?" Guido asked, shocked, as he pulled Isabella back with him.

"There's nothing left of them." The Doctor said. "They've been fully converted. Blimey, fish from space have never been so... buxom. Okay, move!"

"Come on!" Rory yelled as he pulled Amy with him.

As they ran down the stairs, Guido was able to get the Doctor to give him the light. Ember saw it and managed to get to the back of the group with him. "I know what you're planning, so don't. Please."

"Go, go, go, guys. Keep moving!" The Doctor got Amy and Rory out just as the others got to the door. "Go, go, go!"

Guido looked at Isabella, who caught his eye and nodded. "Together, father."

The man nodded and grabbed Ember by the arm, all but shoving her out of the door. If it weren't for the Doctor coming back for them, she'd have fallen flat in her face, instead she ended up in his arms.

"Keep her away from the door, Doctor." Guido said.

"No!" Ember cried, tears pricking her eyes.

Isabella gave her a tearful smile. "Thank you for saving me. Now it's our turn."

With that, Guido shut the door with him and his daughter on the inside. Ember shoved the Doctor's arms away from her and ran to the door, trying to open it and failing.

"No, please!" She cried out. The Doctor was at her side in a moment, trying to Sonic the door. "They're going for the gunpowder! Please, don't do it!"

"Argh, bolted!" The Doctor growled, trying to open the door. "Guido!"

"Please, come back! I can do it!" Ember could just hear the man taunting the aliens inside, but then the Doctor was grabbing her by the waist and pulling her away from the door. "No! Doctor, let me go!"

As he pulled them both away from the house, the Doctor was just able to hear Guido yell "We are Venetians!" Before the whole house exploded, sending the two Time Lords to the ground. The Doctor took a moment to recover and get his hearing back when he realised that Ember was on her knees beside him, crying.

"Why did you stop me?!" She snapped at him, moving to slap him on the chest. Her full force wasn't in the hits, so she wasn't hurting him physically, but his hearts hurt that she was yelling at him. "I could have done it instead of them! They didn't have to die!"

Her shouts dissolved into sobs, and the Doctor gathered her into his arms as she sobbed into his chest, still making weak attempts to hit him. He glanced up at Amy and Rory, who were watching with sad eyes.

Just as Ember seemed to be calming down, there was a massive crack of thunder as the skies darkened and it began to rain heavily. The brunette got up, allowing the Doctor to do so as well, and they all looked up.

"Rosanna's initiating the final phase." The Doctor said.

Amy frowned. "We need to stop her. Come on."

"No, no, no. Get back to the Tardis."

"You can't stop her on your own."

"We don't discuss this!" The Doctor snapped at her. Ember probably would have said something, but she was still a mess from her own outburst. "I tell you to do something, Amy, and you do it! Huh?"

Amy gave him a deep scowl before she turned and stormed off.

"Thank you." Rory said before he ran after her.

The Doctor took a breath. "You're welcome." He then took Ember's hand and made her look at him. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted to help them."

Ember nodded, wiping her face. "I know. Sorry for yelling at you."

"What else am I here for?" The Doctor joked, getting her to smile faintly, and kissed her forehead. "Now, how about a hint?"

"Rosanna's throne."

It only took a moment for the Doctor to understand, and then he led them back to the school. They found it strangely abandoned, and were able to make it to the throne room with no trouble. The Doctor was just opening up the back of the throne when Rosanna entered.

"You're too late." She said, getting their attention. "Such determination, just to save one city. Hard to believe it's the same man that let an entire race turn to cinders and ash. Now you can watch as my people take their new kingdom."

"The girls are gone, Rosanna." The Doctor said, making her pause.

"You're lying."

"Shouldn't we be dead, hmm? Rosanna, please, help me. There are two hundred thousand people in this city..."

"So save them." Rosanna said simply, turning and leaving the room.

The Doctor huffed before he moved to work on the throne again. It wasn't long before they heard footsteps, and they looked up to find Amy and Rory run into the room.

"Get out." The Doctor said. "I need to stabilise the storm."

"We're not leaving you." Rory said.

The Doctor almost threw up his hands in frustration. "Right, so one minute it's all you make people a danger to themselves, and the next it's we're not leaving you. But if one of you gets squashed or blown up or eaten, who gets the-"

The whole building shook, sending them to the floor.

"What was that?" Rory asked.

"Nothing. Bit of an earthquake."

"An earthquake?" Any repeated. That did not sound like nothing.

"Manipulate the elements, it can trigger earthquakes. But don't worry about them."

Rory looked at him. "No?"

"No. Worry about the tidal waves caused by the earthquake. Right, Rosanna's throne is the control hub but she's locked the programme, so tear out every single wire and circuit in the throne. Go crazy. Hit it with a stick, anything. We need it to shut down and re-route control to the secondary hub, which I'm guessing will also be the generator." The Doctor glanced at Ember. "Where?"

"Bell tower!" She said quickly. "You'll find a brass ball."

The Doctor nodded and ran out of the room. Amy, Rory and Ember did what they were asked - trashing the throne in the process - and ran back outside. Ember split off from Amy and Rory to go to the bottom of the bell tower, looking up as best she could with the wind and rain.

"Come on," She said. "Please, please let it work..."

Then, almost like a switch, the wind and rain stopped, allowing the clouds to part and the sun to shine again. Ember cheered as the Doctor came back down from the tower, but then her eyes widened as the first thing he did when he got to her was plant his lips against hers in a sound kiss.

The Doctor pulled back a moment later with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, had to do that. Now, we need to find Rosanna."

Ember's brain seemed to refuse to function for a second before she remembered what was going to happen next.

"Doctor! Rosanna's heading for the canal! Her perception filter is busted, and she's going to let her sons kill her!"

The Doctor instantly took her hand and ran. Ember didn't know how he knew where to find the woman, but it wasn't long before they found her at the canal, now only wearing her underclothes and standing at the edge. "Rosanna!"

She turned to look at them. "One city to save an entire species. Was that so much to ask?"

"I told you, you can't go back and change time. You mourn, but you live. I know, Rosanna. I did it."

"Please, Rosanna," Ember said, holding her hand out. "It doesn't have to end like this. We can help you, get you and your sons back home. Please, don't do this."

Rosanna looked at her hand for a long moment, and then straightened. "Tell me, Doctor. Can your conscience carry the weight of another dead race? Remember us. Dream of us."

With that, she stepped back, falling off the plank and into the water where her children instantly set themselves on her. The Doctor had to quickly grab Ember to stop her from jumping in after the woman, the two of them watching the water bubble violently for several minutes before it settled.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor murmured as he hugged Ember tightly.

* * *

After taking a few minutes to mourn, the Doctor and Ember made their way back to the marketplace where they found Amy and Rory waiting for them near the Tardis.

"Now then, what about you two, eh?" The Doctor said as he moved to unlock the Tardis. "Next stop Leadworth Registry Office. Maybe I can give you away..."

Rory shook his head. "It's fine. Drop me back where you found me. I'll just say you've..."

"Stay. With us." Amy blurted, catching him by surprise. "Please. Just for a bit. I want you to stay."

The Doctor shrugged. "Fine with me."

"Yeah?" Rory barely took a moment to consider it before he spoke again. "Yes, I would like that."

"Nice one. I will pop the kettle on." Amy moved to the door of the Tardis. "Hey, look at this, Ember. Got our spaceship, got our boys. Our work here is done."

She opened the door with a flourish and pulled Ember in with her, surprising the brunette, before facing her and lowering her voice. "I am really sorry about before. It won't happen again, I promise."

Ember blinked at her. "Huh?"

"Kissing the Doctor. From now on, I'm leaving that to you."

"M-me?" Ember pointed to herself. "W-why would you think I'd be kissing him? Why would he even want that?" She shook off the memory of him planting one on her earlier, chalking it off as more of a spur of the moment relief thing, like Amy had done.

Amy shrugged. "Cuz you do it, a lot. Oh." Her eyes widened slightly. "Unless... you haven't yet..."

Ember was about to reply, but the burning she'd grown accustomed to feeling suddenly came up. "Oh, you're kidding me!"

"Guess we'll talk about it later," Amy said as the Doctor and Rory stepped into the Tardis, the former giving a sad smile while the latter looked confused. "See ya!"

And then she jumped.

* * *

Ok, there we have it. I had an extra scene in this, but I decided it was a bit early to put that in, so I'm saving it for later.

Next Time: Someone doesn't die, but it might make Ember do it instead.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Fathers Day

Ok, we haven't had Nine for about six chapters or so, so let's give him some love, shall we?

I've also decided that this part of the Storm of Fire series will end at chapter twenty, so that gives us six chapters to go. Enjoy!

* * *

When Ember appeared, she looked around to find herself on a normal street in London. "London again? I think he loves this city a bit too much."

"Ember?"

She turned around to find Rose and the Ninth Doctor stood there, just on the corner of the street. "Oh, hello. What's going on?"

"I wanted to see my dad," Rose said, glancing around the corner.

It took a moment for Ember to realise where they were. "Oh no. Is this the first or second go?"

The Doctor looked at her carefully. "Second. She got stage fright and wanted to try again to be there for her dad."

Ember moved to glance around the corner, to see another Rose and another Doctor stood several feet away, watching a small, green van aporoaching.

"Right, that's the first you and me." The Doctor continued to Rose. "It's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time. Just be careful they don't see us. Wait till she runs off and he follows, then go to your dad."

The green car parked at a kerb, and a middle-aged man in a light blue suit stepped out. They could just hear the earlier Rose say "Oh, God. This is it."

"I can't do this." The current Rose murmured.

The Doctor looked at her. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here."

"We shouldn't be here at all," Ember said. She'd noticed that as soon as she'd landed, there was a prickling sensation over her skin, like goosebumps but harder to ignore. Something was telling her that this was bad - much more so than the show gave off. "We should go."

"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked, turning to face her. Unfortunately, that momentary distraction gave Rose the chance she needed to bolt, running forward as Pete moved to get the vase from the van, unaware that his death was looming. "Rose! No!"

Dashing past their earlier selves, Rose pushed her father out of the path of the beige car that was about to hit him. The two landed in a way that the vase Pete was carrying didn't break but instead rolled away, and the earlier Rose and Doctor vanished like a hologram. The car passed, but no one saw it vanish into thin air as it turned the corner.

Almost immediately, Ember felt pain. It pierced through her skull like an ice cream headache, enough to bring her to her knees. The Doctor knelt at her side. "Ember! What's wrong?"

"Can't you feel it?" She gasped out, clutching her head. The prickling over her skin now felt like tiny shards of ice were being pressed against her, and her stomach threatened to send whatever food she had in there back up. "Agh! This is wrong!"

The Doctor gently took her arm and pulled her up, letting her use him for support as he looked across the road at where Rose and her father were talking. "How bad is it going to get?"

Ember panted as the pain receded, but didn't disappear, stabbing at the edge of her mind as a constant reminder that it was there. "Very. That shouldn't have happened..."

"I know-"

"No, you don't!" Ember found herself snapping. She bit her lip. "Sorry, I just... didn't expect to feel it like this..."

"Tell me."

Ember glanced at him for a moment. "Like ice is trying to stab every part of me. My head hurts. And it just feels... wrong now, so wrong..."

The Doctor saw Rose wave them over with a grin threatening split her face in two, only for it to drop when she saw Ember up close. "Oh my God, are you alright?"

"Headache," she mumbled. "Really bad."

"I've got some painkillers at home," Pete offered, moving to help the Doctor assist Ember into his van. "I'm happy to give you a lift."

He reached out and gently took Ember's other arm, and suddenly the pain spiked, her head feeling like it was about to split. Everything in her was screaming, and if she had not been the one receiving it, she would be almost sure there actually was screaming in her head along with a feeling of certainty:

_WrongwrongWrongWrongWRONG!_

"Agh!" Ember felt her legs give out, the Doctor just able to notice and shift her so that he could take all of her weight. The move made Pete let go of her arm, and the pain receded again, back to the throbbing at her temples.

"I've got her," she heard the Doctor say. She found her legs again and allowed herself to be eased into the back seat of the car, where the Doctor joined her while Rose would sit up front with Pete. The Doctor lowered his voice so only Ember could hear him. "It got worse when he touched you?"

Ember nodded, wincing as Pete got into the drivers seat in front of her. Even being close to the man was making the pain slightly worse, and she moved without thinking to get as far away from him as possible, unknowingly moving closer to the Doctor in the process. The Time Lord didn't protest, but put his arm around her to not only comfort her but allow her to curl into his side as though he could protect her from the pain.

The brunette flinched as she could almost sense the eyes of something above them, watching...

* * *

The ride was quiet as they reached the familiar set of flats not far from where they'd just been. Upon getting out, Ember did her best to be as far away from Pete as she could while trying not to make it obvious; she didn't want him to think she was being rude. The pain was just bearable, as long as he didn't touch her again.

Which left her wondering why she'd felt more pain by his touch. Maybe it was because he was not supposed to be alive right now? It made sense, considering what she felt around Lazarus and how Time Lords are supposed to be sensitive to this kind of thing. But the Doctor clearly wasn't as affected as her. So why was she reacting so bad to it?

She was brought out of her thoughts as Pete unlocked the door to a familiar flat. "Right, there we go. Sorry about the mess."

The flat - the one Rose had lived in - was normally tidy and neat. But right now, the flat was cluttered and full of odds and ends that probably shouldn't have been there at all. Ember took advantage of one of the seats at the dining table, rubbing her temples in a vain effort to relieve the pain.

"If you want a cup of tea, or those painkillers, the kitchens just down there, milk's in the fridge. Well, it would be, wouldn't it. Where else would you put the milk?" Pete blinked before he started rambling. "Mind you, there's always the window sill outside. I always thought if someone invented a window sill with special compartments, you know, one for milk, one for yogurt, make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things. I should write that down..." he looked lost in thought for a moment before he shook his head. "Anyway, never mind that, excuse me for a minute. Got to go and change."

He left the front room, presumably to go to the bedroom. The Doctor moved to stand beside Ember, putting his hand on her shoulder. "If it's aspirin, you can't take those. You're allergic."

"I am?" Ember looked up at him. "How do you know?"

"You're part Time Lord. We're allergic to aspirin."

Nodding, Ember turned her attention to Rose as she looked around, her smile back.

"All the stuff mum kept. His stuff." She murmured. "She kept it all packed away in boxes in the cupboard. She used to show me when she'd had a bit to drink. Here it is, on display. Where it should be." She moved to where trophies sat. "Third prize at the bowling. First two got to go to Didcot. Health drinks. Tonics, mum used to call them. He made his money selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs. He was so clever." She spotted some plans on the dining table. "Solar power. Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can." She turned to grin at the Doctor, only to find him frowning at her. "Okay, look I'll tell him you're not my boyfriend..."

"When we met, I said travel with me in space. You said no." He spoke evenly. "Then I said time machine..."

Rose lost her smile. "It wasn't some big plan. I just saw it happening and I thought... I can stop it."

"I did it again. I picked another stupid ape. I should've known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. It's about the universe doing something for you."

"So it's okay when you go to other times, and you save people's lives, but not when it's me saving my dad?" Rose said, her defences coming up.

"I know what I'm doing, you don't. Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point."

"But he's alive!"

"My entire planet died. My whole family. Do you think it never occurred to me to go back and save them? Even after Ember found me?"

The brunette in question winced, feeling the tension rise. She knew the Time War was still an open wound for the Doctor at this point in his timeline. This was barely the beginning of his healing, and the wound was still raw.

Rose apparently didn't see the pain that they were feeling. "But it's not like I've changed history. Not much. I mean he's never going to be a world leader. He's not going to start World War Three or anything."

"You can't know that for sure." Ember said, just loud enough for them to hear her. "It only takes one man to change the world."

"Rose, there's a man alive in the world who wasn't alive before." The Doctor added. "An ordinary man. That's the most important thing in creation. The whole world's different because he's alive. And look at Ember; the moment you saved him, she's felt nothing but pain. And it's worse if he touches her. That's a major red flag to how wrong this is."

"What, would you rather him dead?"

"I'm not saying that..."

"No, I get it! For once, you're not the most important man in my life."

That was the line. "Let's see how you get on without me, then. Give me the key." When Rose blinked in puzzlement, he held out his hand. "The Tardis key. If I'm so insignificant, give it me back."

"All right then, I will." Rose pulled out the key and slapped it into his hand.

The Doctor pocketed the key and gently pulled Ember to her feet. She didn't resist; the throbbing in her head made her want to get out just as much. "You've got what you wanted, so that's goodbye, then."

"You don't scare me. I know how sad you are."

"Was. I was sad. But then Ember found me."

"You'll be back in a minute, or you'll hang around outside the Tardis waiting for me. And I'll make you wait a long time!" Rose followed them to the door to get the last word in before she slammed the door shut. The Doctor kept going until they were back on the street before he stopped and let Ember rest against the wall.

"You okay?" He asked.

Ember nodded. "Yea. Not so bad now that I'm further away from him." She glanced up at the flats. "You're really gonna leave her here?"

"Probably a bad idea to. She's what, an infant at this point? Things will get worse if she stays here. I'll grab her in a bit and send her home. She got what she wanted, after all."

"I wish it was that easy," Ember said, turning to follow him as he began to walk. She had that feeling again; like eyes were watching her. "I don't get why I'm feeling pain."

The Doctor shrugged. "Time Lords are sensitive to time. We can feel when something shouldn't be."

"So why aren't you in pain?"

"What makes you think I'm not?" The Doctor tried, but then shrugged again when Ember sent him a flat look. "Okay, I'm not. But the feeling you discribed is similar to what we feel when something that shouldn't happen does. I'm guessing it's whatever makes you different from me. And since Pete is the thing that's different, it gets worse the nearer you are to him."

"Lovely." Ember muttered dryly, wincing again.

The Doctor looked at her before turning his eyes to the path again. "I'm sorry. I should have known better. I should have listened to you."

Ember patted his arm. "I don't blame you. And I don't blame Rose. You wanted her to have the closure you didn't get to have. No one can predict what they'd do if they were in this situation. Humans like to think they'd take the high road, but at the end of the day, they act without thinking. As far as I'm concerned, mankind has always been the most unpredictable species of all." They turned the last corner and saw the Tardis, and her eyes widened as she remembered something. "Oh no... I forgot, the Tardis!"

The Doctor blinked as she suddenly ran the remaining distance to the blue box. "What's wrong?"

"Bad, very bad! The Tardis is gone!"

"How'd you mean, gone? It's right here."

Ember turned to him. "The outside is, but the inside is gone!"

It only took a moment for that to register before the Doctor was at her side, unlocking the door. When it opened, they were shocked to find the inside of the box was what a normal police box would be, the vast interior of the Tardis missing.

The Doctor even felt the inside as though it could have been a trick, and then he looked at Ember. "Rose!"

"Yep!" She replied as she let him take her hand and run, towards the nearest church.

When they turned the corner, they saw Rose with her mother and father, along with several people who'd arrived for a wedding. "Rose! Get in the church!"

Rose had turned with a smug smile when she heard him, but quickly sensed the urgency before something appeared above her; a large creature with bat-like wings, a scythe-shaped tail, four arms and a mouth on its torso instead of its small head, hissing before it swooped. Rose barely had time to scream before the Doctor pushed her to the ground just in time to avoid the talons.

"Get in the church!" He yelled again as two more of the creatures appeared.

"Oh, my God. What are they?" The bride cried. "What are they?"

"Inside!"

The groom was at the doors of the church, having been inside when it started. He saw his bride in danger. "Sarah!"

"Stay in there!"

The groom's father tried to run for it, but was caught easily. Ember turned and saw the second one had jumped between the bride and the church, and she moved without thought, getting in front of the bride and facing the creature head on. Being so near to the creature made her headache worse, but she used it to sound tough. "Back off!"

To her surprise, the creature recoiled from her like she'd struck it, making a keening sound that was almost a whimper before it saw a better target and took off, attacking the nearby vicar instead. Ember took advantage and pulled the bride with her to the church, followed by Rose, a few others and the Doctor.

"In!" The Doctor said, turning to slam the doors shut before the creatures could follow them. Shadows passed the windows as the creatures flew around outside. "They can't get in. Old windows and doors. Okay. The older something is, the stronger it is. What else? Go and check the other doors! Move!"

Jackie - looking younger than Ember had seen before and holding a carrier with a baby in it - ran up to him. "What's happening? What are they? What are they?"

"Reapers," Ember spoke the word without realising, her head against the door as she listened to the creatures outside.

"There's been an accident in time." The Doctor said quickly. "A wound in time. They're like bacteria, taking advantage."

"What do you mean, time? What're you jabbering on about, time?"

"Oh, I might've known you'd argue. Jackie, I'm sick of you complaining."

Jackie blinked. "How do you know my name?"

"I haven't got time for this..."

"I've never met you in my life!"

"No, and you never will unless I sort this out. Now, if you don't mind, I've waited a long time to say this. Jackie Tyler, do as I say. Go and check the doors!"

There was a pause before Jackie collected herself. "Yes, sir."

"I should have done that ages ago." The Doctor grinned at Ember, making her weakly smile at him.

The groom-to-be approached. "My dad was out there."

"You can mourn him later. Right now we've got to concentrate on keeping ourselves alive."

"My dad had-"

"There's nothing I can do for him."

Ember grabbed his arm. "Doctor, listen to him."

"No, but he had this phone thing." The groom held up a very chunky phone. "I can't get it to work. I keep getting this voice."

The Doctor took the phone and put it to his ear, hearing a voice on the other end._ "Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you..."_

"That's the very first phone call." He said aloud. "Alexander Graham Bell. I don't think the telephone's going to be much use."

"But someone must have called the police." The groom said.

"Police can't help you now. No one can. Nothing in this universe can harm those things. Time's been damaged and they've come to sterilise the wound. By consuming everything in sight."

Rose was stood to one side, having heard the entire thing. "Is this because... Is this my fault?"

The Doctor didn't answer, but that alone confirmed it. He moved to the nearby window and checked that it was secure. Rose turned to look at Ember, who was leaning against the main door and panting.

"I... I didn't know..."

Ember gave her a strained smile. "It's okay. You're only human. And we're gonna do everything we can to set this right. I promise."

Rose heard a screech outside and shuddered. "You called them Reapers. Have you seen them before?"

"No." Ember said. "This is the only time I know that the Doctor has had to deal with these things. As for the name... I dunno where it came from. It just popped into my head. Maybe it's the tails: they look like scythes..."

Rose nodded and wandered off, deep in thought. Ember took a moment before she moved to where the Doctor was looking out of one of the windows in the vestry. She reached him just as a beige car - the one that was supposed to have killed Pete - appeared from nowhere and turned the corner before disappearing. If one looked hard, they could just see the driver panic about something, covering his face with his arms.

"And there's the wound." Ember said softly.

The Doctor gave her a glance before looking out of the window again. "And the easiest way of fixing this, I'm assuming."

"Yea. The Reapers won't stop until they find the cause of the wound, or it gets fixed."

"Is there another way?"

"Might be, but it's a long shot." Ember felt her head throb and the feeling of _wrong_ get stronger, and knew who was coming. "Heads up."

The Doctor glanced back to see Pete approach them, and he made sure that Ember was out of touching range. "Everything secure?"

"For now, at least," Pete confirmed, looking out of the window. "There's smoke coming up from the city but no sirens. I don't think it's just us. I think these things are all over the place. Maybe the whole world." The beige car appeared again, turning the corner to vanish once more. "Was that a car?"

"It's not important." The Doctor said, turning to leave. "Don't worry about it."

He kept Ember close just in case the pain got too much, especially when they heard one of the creatures land on one of the large windows, it's clawed wings gripping the brick while its arms tapped at the glass. He had just pulled a curtain aside and began to scan another door with his Sonic when the bride and groom approached.

The groom spoke first. "Excuse me, Mister..."

"Doctor."

"You seem to know what's going on."

"I give that impression, yeah."

"I just wanted to ask-"

"Can you save us?" The bride said, cutting off the groom.

The Doctor stopped to look at them properly. "Who are you two, then?"

"Stuart Hoskins."

"Sarah Clark."

"And one extra." The Doctor gestured to the bride's noticeable bump. "Boy or girl?"

"I don't know. I don't want to know, really."

"So, how'd you meet?" Ember asked. She knew the Doctor would have asked, but she felt like she needed to say something.

Stuart shrugged. "Outside the Beatbox Club, two in the morning."

"Street corner." Sarah added. "I'd lost my purse, didn't have money for a taxi."

"I took her home."

"Then what?" The Doctor asked. "Asked her for a date?"

Sarah nodded. "Wrote his number on the back of my hand."

"Never got rid of her since." Stuart said, looking slightly down. "My dad said..."

When he trailed off, Sarah took over. "I don't know what this is all about, and I know we're not important..."

"Who said you're not important?" The Doctor asked sincerely. "I've travelled to all sorts of places, done things you couldn't even imagine, but you two... Street corner, two in the morning, getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that." Ember was looking at the stained-glass windows, so she didn't notice when he glanced at her. "Yes. I'll try and save you."

The couple looked relieved. Sarah then turned to Ember. "You stood up for me, when that thing almost attacked me. But it looked scared of you. Do you think you can scare them all off?"

The Doctor looked at Ember in surprise as the brunette turned to face them. "I don't know. It made my head hurt when I was near it. If they realise that, they might not be so scared. Even if they are, I can't exactly have everyone attached to my hip, can I?"

The couple agreed, thanking them before moving away. The Doctor put his hand on Ember's shoulder, feeling her trembling slightly. "You didn't tell me they were scared of you."

"I didn't expect it, either. I dunno if it was scared persay, but it didn't seem to like me. Backed off really quickly."

"I've seen you do things that a Time Lord can't do. Do you have any idea where it comes from?"

Ember shook her head. "Not a clue. But recently, some powers have triggered. Not sure how strong they're going to be, but apparently it's only just beginning."

Before they could talk further, a child with dark skin ran past them. Ember knew that this was Mickey, even as Jackie was trying to follow the boy with the carrier.

"Mickey!" She called, having to stop for a moment. She spotted the Doctor and Ember to the side and moved to them. "Could you watch her for a minute? His parents are missing, so I've got to keep an eye on him."

She handed the carrier to Ember, who took it in surprise, before she took off after the boy.

Ember looked into the carrier at the small, chubby face in purple overalls looking back at her. She had stiffened the moment she was holding carrier, as though even the slightest movement would result in harming the infant. "Um... a little help here?"

The Doctor took the carrier from her and walked to a bench at the front of the church where the choir singers would perform. "I take it you're not good with children."

"I don't know, really." Ember shrugged. "Don't remember dealing with kids much. I doubt I'm a good parental figure anyway."

"Well, you look after me, so that's got to be something." The Doctor said nonchalantly, making her look at him in surprise, though he didn't see it as he focused on Baby Rose in front of them. "For all you know, you'll be a great mum in the future."

Ember blinked at him. "Please tell me I don't get pregnant."

"Not that I know of." The Doctor grinned at her before he turned to the baby again. "Now, Rose, you're not going to bring about the end of the world, are you? Are you?"

Ember heard a sound behind her and looked to see adult Rose come up to them. "Hey."

The Doctor glanced up. "Jackie gave her to us to look after. How times change..."

"I'd better be careful. I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken." Rose said, attempting to joke. She reached out to touch the baby, only to blink when Ember grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her back. "What?"

"Two Roses should not be here," Ember said, one hand on Rose's shoulder while the other held her own head. It had throbbed painfully when Rose got near her infant self, and Reapers outside had screeched as though they'd sensed the almost-opportunity.

The Doctor nodded. "Don't touch the baby. You're both the same person. That's a paradox, and we don't want a paradox happening, not with these things outside. Anything new, any disturbance in time makes them stronger. The paradox might let them in. Not only that, but it will make Ember worse."

Rose stepped back a little. "Can't do anything right, can I?"

"Since you ask, no. So, don't. touch. the baby."

"I'm not stupid."

"You could have fooled me." The Doctor said, and then he calmed when he saw the hurt look on Rose's face. "All right, I'm sorry. I wasn't really going to leave you on your own."

"I know."

"But between you and me, I haven't got a plan. No idea. No way out."

Ember flinched. There was one sure way to fix it, and the Doctor knew it. He obviously wanted Rose to keep her father if it was possible. But something in her was firm in the belief that it wasn't, and that same something was almost like a voice, urging her to fix it herself, even if it meant grabbing Pete and shoving him in front of that car.

"You'll think of something." Rose said, breaking Ember out of her thoughts.

The Doctor shook his head. "The entire Earth's been sterilised. This, and other places like it, are all that's left of the human race. We might hold out for a while, but nothing can stop those creatures. They'll get through in the end. The walls aren't that old. And there's nothing I can do to stop them. There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening. My people would have stopped this. But they're all gone. And now I'm going the same way."

"If I'd realised..."

"Just... tell me you're sorry."

"I am. I'm sorry." Rose said, clearly meaning it, and hugged the Doctor, only to pull back with a frown. "Have you got something hot?"

She reached into his inside pocket and took something out, only to drop it. It was her Tardis key, which was so hot that it was glowing. Ember briefly wondered how the Doctor hadn't noticed it before, but didn't bother to question it.

"It's the Tardis key!" The Doctor exclaimed in joy, pulling off his jacket to pick up the key without burning himself. "It's telling me it's still connected to the Tardis!"

He dashed off, running up to the pulpit and facing everyone who were sat in various pews. "The inside of my ship was thrown out of the wound but we can use this to bring it back. And once I've got my ship back, then I can mend everything. Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anybody got a battery?"

Stuart looked at the chunky phone his father had left, picking it up. "This one big enough?"

"Fantastic!"

"Good old dad. There you go."

"Just need to do a bit of charging up, and then we can bring everyone back."

Ember moved to his side as Rose went to talk to Pete. "If it doesn't get disturbed, it'll work."

The Doctor glanced at her from where he was sonicing the key and the battery he'd pulled from the phone. "So no one touches it once it starts."

"Let's hope." Ember murmured, just quietly enough that she wasn't heard. She knew it would work in theory, but that something inside her was screaming at her to just get it over with; to just get Pete where he needed to be. The thought that she was feeling more willing to let a man die was beginning to scare her.

The Doctor finished whatever he was doing and stood straight, holding out the key to where it would have fit in the Tardis lock had it been there. When he let go, the key remained suspended in the air by itself, glowing brightly. He then ran over to stand on the alter and address the others. "Right, no one touches that key. Have you got that? Don't touch it. Anyone touches that key, it'll be, well, zap. Just leave it be and everything will be fine. We'll get out of here. All of us. Stuart, Sarah you're going to get married, just like I said."

Ember flinched as she sat down on the one of the chairs in the second-to-back row, rubbing her head as the pain flared a little. Something was telling her that they were running out of time.

"You know he cannot be saved."

Ember jumped, looking behind her at the male voice that spoke. Sat on the chair behind her was the red-cloaked man she'd met on Satellite Five. "How did you..."

"It doesn't matter." He replied. Ember glanced around, puzzled as to why no one else had reacted to his sudden appearance. "They cannot see or hear me."

"Lovely." Ember muttered as she turned to face the front again and leaned her head back to rest on the back of the chair. To anyone looking, it would seem like she was resting her head. "So they're gonna think I'm talking to myself?"

The cloaked man chuckled. "No. They cannot hear you. As far as they are concerned, you are just sitting here alone."

"That's comforting. So why are you here? Got another bottle of water for me?"

"Not this time. I came to check the cause of the disturbance."

Ember took a sideways glance at where Pete was talking to Rose. "Yea. That guy was supposed to die. Only he didn't."

"And you feel pain?" He asked.

"Yea. Want to explain that?"

"The Doctor was correct in his theory. You are far more sensitive to the balances of time and nature. When the Balance is disturbed, you will feel it."

Ember held back a groan. "Just great. And what about the Reapers? Why did one get scared when I got near it? It made my head hurt."

The hood tilted slightly. "The Reapers are not meant to be in this plane of existence. They cause a great disturbance to the Balance, which is why you feel more pain when they are near. As for why they are afraid of you: they are creatures of instinct, and that instinct tells them that you are one they should not anger. There are many races out there that share this instinct; even advanced races cannot ignore it."

"Like the Silence?"

"A prime example, yes."

"So what do I do? Chase them off?"

The man chuckled again. "You could, but you alone cannot protect the whole planet. And the Balance would still be disturbed: the Reapers would only come back. But you know how to redress the Balance, as your instincts are now telling you."

Ember sighed. "He has to die, doesn't he?"

"I'm afraid so. And it must happen soon. The longer the Reapers are in this plane, the stronger they will become."

"Are you going to help?"

"No. I cannot directly interfere with matters of this plane. I can only observe, and occasionally lend a guiding hand when it is needed. When I realised that you were here, I decided that we should meet again. The Doctor has yet to meet me at this point in his timeline."

That made Ember pause. "You're not telling me something. What is it?"

"Very perceptive." The hood tilted again as though to nod. "You are getting closer to answers, but also many more questions. Remember to keep those you trust close to you: you will need them."

Ember closed her eyes for a moment, and somehow knew even before she opened them again that the cloaked man was now gone. Instead she felt the Doctor sit beside her on the pew, gently taking her hand. "Are you alright? How's the pain?"

"Could be better, could be worse." The brunette answered softly, opening her eyes to look at the pulpit, where the key was still glowing in midair.

As the outline of the Tardis began to appear around the key, Rose sat next to the Doctor. "When time gets sorted out-"

"Everybody here forgets what happened." He said, glancing at her. "And don't worry, the thing that you changed will stay changed."

Ember could already feel the _wrong_ behind her even before Pete's voice appeared behind them. "You mean I'll still be alive, though I'm meant to be dead. That's why I haven't done anything with my life, why I didn't mean anything."

"It doesn't work like that." The Doctor said, but Pete scoffed.

"Rubbish. I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all of this has happened."

Rose faced him. "This is my fault."

"No, love. I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault."

"Her dad?" They all looked to find that Jackie had approached with baby Rose in her arms, and thus heard the conversation. The Doctor shook his head in disbelief as he stood and walked away, clearly not interested in another spat. "How are you her dad? How old were you, twelve? Oh, that's disgusting."

Ember bit her lip to keep back the gasp as her vision went white...

_The Reaper lunged, taking out the Doctor before it flew and crashed into the emerging Tardis. The creature and the box disappeared, leaving everyone helpless._

_Not long later, the Reapers that were outside finally managed to break in, attacking everyone in sight..._

"Oh, for God's sake, look!" Pete's voice brought Ember out of the vision. He moved to gather Baby Rose out of her mother's arms. "It's the same Rose!"

The Doctor realised too late what was about to happen, and therefore wasn't able to stop the man from putting the baby in her adult self's arms. "Rose! No!"

He'd snatched the baby back a moment too late, giving her back to Jackie as Ember suddenly cried out and doubled over in her seat, clutching her head. A second later, a Reaper appeared in the air above them, screeching as the people panicked.

The Doctor grabbed Ember and pulled her up, ushering everyone else behind him. "Everyone, behind me!" He glared up at the Reaper as it turned to face them. "I'm the oldest thing in here."

"Doctor!" Rose cried as the Reaper lunged. The Doctor expected to feel pain, or maybe nothing, but instead he felt someone shove him hard to the side, making him fall. When he looked up, his eyes widened.

Ember was the one who had shoved him, taking his place, and in that split second she'd looked at him and made him freeze when their gazes met.

Her eyes were completely silver, no pupil or sclera visible.

Then the split second was gone, and she turned to face the Reaper as it bore down on her. She felt the pain in her head flare up to more than unbearable, and then she felt heat before suddenly everything went black.

* * *

_"She cannot be contained, yet she must never feel death's embrace."_

_"Then what can we do?"_

_"Perhaps another can teach her. Show her reason, perhaps even restraint."_

_"You believe someone can control her?"_

_"Not on their own: she would simply burn them. But perhaps there is another option..."_

_..._

_..._

_"What you're suggesting has never been done! The theory alone is impossible!"_

_"And yet we have witnessed her might. Her existence is impossible, yet here she is."_

_"... and who do you suggest would be suitable for this... this burden?"_

_"None of my people would willingly undergo such a task. But perhaps we can recruit one from beyond..."_

_..._

_..._

_"You want me to what?"_

* * *

"Is she alright?"

"How did she do that?"

"Her eyes..."

The first thing Ember registered after what seemed to be a weird dream was voices in the background, whispering but not quiet or far enough for her not to hear them. She didn't recognise the first ones, but the next one to come up was one she did recognise.

"She's exhausted. Leave her be." It was the Doctor.

She next got feeling back. Her whole body ached, especially her left shoulder, and she was lying on something hard and uncomfortable. Twitching her fingers, she tried to feel it. Wood, and maybe fabric?

"Doctor, she's moving. I think she's waking up." That sounded like Rose.

"Well, back off, then, give her some air!"

Trying to open her eyes was like trying to peel off a sticker, but she managed it eventually. Colours swirled violently, but she forced herself not to close her eyes and focus until the swirling settled and a view of the ceiling of the church greeted her, though it seemed to have gotten dark. Was it nighttime? She blinked as it blurred a bit. To anyone looking at her, her pupils and sclera were visible again.

"Ember? Can you hear me?"

She looked to her left, finding the Doctor knelt beside her. His face was strained with worry, though it lightened as he realised that she'd heard him.

"How are you feeling?"

Ember tried to speak, but her throat was dry and her head throbbed, so all she could get out was a croak.

Someone's hand came into her line of sight, holding a bottle of water. The Doctor took it and opened it, and then he shifted to that he could lift her head and tilt the bottle just enough for a trickle of water to flow into her mouth. As much as her dry throat wanted her to just down as much as she could, Ember forced herself to take careful sips.

"Ember?" She glanced to her right, to see Rose leaning on the back of the chair to look at her. "Are you alright?"

Ember blinked again as she looked around. She found herself lying across several chairs at the front of the church, with the Doctor in front of her and Rose behind the seats. The other people who were in the church were in various chairs on the other side, some of them looking at her warily. She pushed the bottle away and swallowed hard, her voice finally coming out barely loud enough to be heard. "Wha... what happened?"

"You jumped in front of that Reaper, that's what happened." The Doctor said firmly, his displeasure clear. "Why did you do that?"

"I had a vision. I thought... if you survived, you'd be able to save them..." Ember felt a throb in her already aching head and glanced over the back of the chair, frowning when she saw Pete sitting on the next row, his jacket in hand. She then turned to look at the pulpit and felt her heart sunk when she saw that the Tardis was no longer materialising. "Ah. Wait, if I got in front of the Reaper... how am I still here?"

"It was about to eat you, or erase you or whatever it does to people, but then it caught fire," Rose said.

The Doctor nodded when Ember looked at him for confirmation. "You set it on fire just as it hit you. It tried to get away, but it hit the Tardis. Now we're stuck."

Ember looked at her hands from where they were in her lap, blinking when she noticed the left sleeve of her denim jacket had a new burn mark near the elbow. "Great. But we're not stuck. Right, Pete?"

The man took a deep breath before he stood and faced Rose. "The Doctor and Ember really care about you. They didn't want you to go through it again, not if there was another way. Now there isn't."

Rose looked at him, dread dawning on her face. "What are you talking about?"

"The car that should have killed me, love. It's here. The Doctor and Ember worked it out way back, but they tried to protect me. Still, they're not in charge anymore. I am."

"But you can't..."

"Who am I, love?"

"...My daddy."

Pete smiled as Jackie approached. "Jackie, look at her. She's ours."

Jackie's eyes were wide and teary as she looked at the young woman her baby would become, pulling her into a hug. "Oh, God..."

"I'm meant to be dead, Jackie. You're going to get rid of me at last."

"Don't say that..." Jackie whispered as she let go of Rose.

Pete smiled again. "For once in your life, trust me. It's got be done. You've got to survive, because you've got to bring up our daughter." He kissed his wife before he looked at Rose. "I never read you those bedtime stories. I never took you on those picnics. I was never there for you."

Rose tried not to cry, but tears leaked anyway. "You would have been."

"But I can do this for you. I can be a proper dad to you now."

"But it's not fair..."

"I've had all these extra hours. No one else in the world has ever had that. And on top of that, I got to see you. And you're beautiful. How lucky am I, eh? So, come on, do as your dad says." He took the vase from her. "You going to be there for me, love?" He smiled when she nodded. "Thanks for saving me."

After one last hug with his family, Pete moved to the front doors of the church, running out. Everyone moved to the entrance as the Doctor helped Ember stand, though she had to lean on him for most of the short walk to the doors. They heard the screech of Reapers, but then the screech came from tires on the road and then there was a thud.

Then all of Ember's pain vanished, and the Reapers disappeared too, as the sun returned. She and the Doctor were able to push their way to the front of the group to see Pete lying on the road, the vase smashed to pieces and the beige car a few feet away.

The Doctor moved to Rose's side. "Go to him. Quick."

She didn't hesitate this time, running to her father's side and holding his hand. The Doctor pulled Ember with him as they slipped away to where the Tardis had originally been, now whole once more, and they waited until Rose came over to them, her face red and wet as she cried.

"I'm so sorry." Ember said, pulling the girl in for a hug. Rose accepted it gladly, sobbing and shaking.

The Doctor waited patiently until they broke apart and led them into the Tardis, taking them away.

* * *

After Rose had gone to bed, understandably tired from the stress of the day, the Doctor and Ember were still in the console room. The Doctor was under one of the grates that surrounded the console while Ember was sat on the captains chair.

"So why were the Reapers so scared of me? Because something in their instincts tell them not to cross me." Ember finally said. "And why did I feel so much pain when time was damaged?"

"You're more sensitive than I am, from what I've seen." The Doctor replied. "So, when something that shouldn't happen does, you can feel it much more than I can."

"Lovely." Ember said dryly, picking at the new burn on her jacket. "Ugh, how badly is this gonna get burnt? I like this jacket."

"Not so much that you have to stop wearing it. But I've seen it more singed than it is right now. Now, you said you had a vision?"

Nodding, Ember leaned back against the seat. "It's only the second one I've had, and you told me that they don't happen often. But I'm guessing you knew that already, since you don't seem surprised by it."

"Hmm. You've told me about the visions, but I only know of one so far, two after today."

Ember sighed. She was about to make a comment when something else came to mind. "Oh, and there's something else. I blacked out when the Reaper attacked me, but I think I had a dream or something..."

The Doctor lifted his head out from under the grating to hear her out as she described what she heard in the dream. "Do you know who was speaking?"

Ember shook her head. "I could barely tell what they were saying, never mind who they were. But there were two voices at first, then one of them and a new voice. And the last one was me, or sounded like me, I think. It's all a bit hazy. Do you have any idea what they were talking about?"

"Not a clue, there isn't much to go on." The Doctor pulled himself up out of the grate and replaced it. "Using your powers like that might have triggered a memory from your past."

"You mean my past where I was a normal human and this was a tv show, or my past where I'm part Time Lord?"

"Probably the latter. I think the world where you were human was an illusion." The Doctor moved so that he faced Ember, leaning his lower back against the console. "Your memories of what happened in the show may actually be foreknowledge in the guise of a tv show so you wouldn't think you were crazy, or made to look like a tv show to feed the illusion."

Ember looked to the side in thought. "That makes sense. But if my 'human' life was an illusion, then who am I? What am I, other than part Time Lord? What happened to me to make that illusion?"

The Doctor gave her a moment before he answered calmly. "You're Ember. As far as I'm concerned, who you are right now is what should matter. We'll find out the rest together, I promise."

"Hmm." Ember hummed. "Okay. But for now, I'm going to go have a rest myself."

She got off the seat and smiled at him before turning to leave. The Doctor watched her until he was sure she was out of sight before he turned to go back to maintenance, a thoughtful look on his face.

* * *

And here we go! Ember met the hooded stranger again, and now she's hearing voices in her dreams? Will there be more? Will it make sense? Find out soon!

Next Time: Ember shares a room with the Doctor, and maybe sees a bit too much.


	15. Chapter Fifteen: The Lodger

Ok, chapter fifteen! Going strong! And hearing a review always helps!

On with the chapter!

* * *

When Ember jumped next, she was surprised to feel someone's arms around her. Without thinking she kicked out, only to turn when she recognised the yelp that followed. "Doctor?"

The Eleventh Doctor, tweed jacket and all, was nursing his shin where she'd kicked him, very glad that she hadn't hit another area. He knew first hand how hard her kicks were and why. "Hello. I'm guessing that you kicked me either because I surprised you, or because of something I haven't done yet."

"You surprised me. Sorry." Ember clarified, looking away with a light blush on her cheeks. "Um, are you okay?"

"Yep! That wasn't nearly as hard as you've hit me before."

Ember blinked. "I hit you before? When?"

The Doctor looked like he was about to reply when his mouth closed with a click of his teeth. "Ah, spoilers. Now, care to bring me up to speed on where you've been?"

"Ok, um... I just met Rose's father and the Reapers." The brunette shivered at recalling the events. "And before that, we were in Venice. Before that, we met Lazarus, and then I was somewhere in your future, so I can't tell you that."

"Ah. No Daleks?"

That made Ember pause. "Not yet. Which is weird. Figured I would have run into them at least once by now."

The Doctor shrugged. "I'm sure you're not far off. Although, if I had my way, you'd never have to see them."

Ember tilted her head slightly. While he seemed nonchalant about it, she was getting better at reading between the lines. And something told her that he was not telling her something. He'd asked several times now if she'd met the Daleks yet, and seemed part relieved and part frustrated when she'd say no. Like he was dreading something but at the same time waiting for it?

"Anyway, back to the present!" The Doctor brought her out of her musings as he threw an arm around her and pulled her close. "We're going to be lodgers!"

Ember blinked at the piece of paper he held into her view. It read 'Doctor - this one, no 79a Aickman Road, Amy xx' in red ink with an arrow pointing down. "Oh. So I guess we're meeting Craig."

"Craig? Hmm." The Doctor nodded. "Not a bad name. So, any hints?"

"Beware of upstairs neighbors."

* * *

After going to the nearest ATM to get money, a brief misdirection (the Doctor swore it wasn't his fault) that led to a side trip to get a bag of blue raspberry flavoured sweets, and searching his near-bottomless pockets for what looked like a Bluetooth device, the two found themselves standing in front of a modest-looking, two story house. Ember looked up at the upstairs window and shivered. Despite knowing that no one was really up there, knowing what was causing the trouble was enough.

The Doctor strode up to the front door and rang the bell, looking at Ember and grinning. Before she could speak, a slightly overweight man opened the door.

"I love you." He blurted before he realised that the one he wanted to say that to was not who was at the door.

The Doctor smiled. "Well, that's good, because we're your new lodgers. Do you know," he plucked a set of keys - with a fluffy pink thing attached - out of the man's hand. "This is going to be easier than I expected."

The man - Craig - stared numbly at his now empty hand before he caught himself. "But I only put the advert up today. I didn't put my address."

"Well, aren't you lucky we came along? More lucky than you know. Less of a young professional, more of an ancient amateur, but frankly I'm an absolute dream. And if that's not enough, Ember here is a wish come true."

Ember blinked before shrugging. She was beginning to get used to the compliments, even if she still felt that they were not deserved.

"Hang on a minute, mate. I don't know if I want you staying. And give me back those keys." Craig caught up with them and snatched the keys back from the Doctor. "You can't have those."

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, quite right. Have some rent." He pushed a brown paper bag into Craig's hands, shrugging when the man looked surprised at the amount of money that was in it. "That's probably quite a lot, isn't it? Looks like a lot. Is it a lot? I can never tell. Ember told me it would be a lot."

Craig glanced at Ember, who shrugged again. "He travels so much he gets a bit confused at the exchange rates. Sorry."

By now, they were in the hallway as the Doctor continued. "Don't spend it all on sweets, unless you like sweets. I like sweets. So does Ember; blue raspberry is her favourite. Ooo." He paused in his rambling to turn to Craig and give him an air kiss a few inches from each cheek. Ember recalled that he learned that from Vincent, who she hadn't met yet. "That's how we greet each other nowadays, isn't it? I'm the Doctor. Well, they call me the Doctor. I don't know why. I call me the Doctor, too. Still don't know why. And this is Ember. I call her that, and so does she. Lovely name, isn't it?"

Craig had to blink and process what the Doctor was saying before he introduced himself. "Craig Owens. The Doctor?"

"Yep. Who lives upstairs?"

"Just some bloke."

"What's he look like?"

"Normal. He's very quiet." There was a loud crash from upstairs, like a smashing glass. "Usually." He caught himself as the Doctor led Ember into the flat. "Sorry, who are you again? Hello? Excuse me?"

The Doctor stopped when Ember tugged on his hand, pointing to the upper corner of the living area, where a large patch of what seemed to be rot was forming. "Ah. I suppose that's... dry rot?"

"Or damp. Or mildew."

"Or none of the above..."

"I'll get someone to fix it."

"No, I'll fix it. I'm good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister. No, I'm the Doctor, don't call me the Rotmeister." The Doctor turned to look at the flat: a modest living area with kitchen to the side, and hopped up to sit on the counter. "This is the most beautiful parlour I have ever seen. You're obviously a man of impeccable taste. We can stay, Craig, can't we? Say we can."

Craig shook his head. "But... there's two of you..."

The Doctor pulled Ember into his arms, her back to his chest with his chin resting on her left shoulder. "Please? We do so hate to be apart."

"Um, if it would help, I can translate for him?" Ember piped up. She tried to fight the blush on her face as her mind decided then to recall several past encounters when she was in close proximity to the other Time Lord. "As you can see, he talks a mile a minute sometimes, and I've been told that I'm an excellent buffer to help filter it a bit. And I'm pretty quiet, so you probably wouldn't even notice me."

Craig looked at them both, seeing the Doctor beam and hug Ember tighter. He couldn't help but wonder if he could someday get a relationship like these two seemed to have. "Um... You haven't even seen the room."

"The room?" The Doctor repeated, half distracted.

"Your room."

"My room?" It seemed to take another moment before he caught up to what they were talking about. "Oh, yes! Our room. Our room. Take us to our room."

Ember gently pulled herself from his hug so that he could get down from the counter and they could follow Craig across the hall to the aforementioned bedroom. It was simple enough; eighties decor and the necessary furnishings: bed, wardrobes, dresser, a mirror.

"Yeah, this is Mark's old room." Craig said as the two guests entered the room and looked around, the Doctor pushing the mattress as though to test it. "He owns the place. Moved out about a month ago. This uncle he'd never even heard of died and left a load of money in the will."

The Doctor took note of that, having a feeling he knew where this 'uncle' had come from. "How very convenient. This'll do just right. In fact." There was another loud crash - almost sounding like a car wreck - from above as he damped his finger and tested the air. "No time to lose. We'll take it. Ah, you'll want to see our credentials. There." He pulled out the psychic paper, passing it behind his back to make it look like a different 'document' each time. "National Insurance numbers. NHS numbers. References."

Craig blinked at the last one. "Is that a reference from the Archbishop of Canterbury?"

"Ember is his special favourite." The brunette was surprised at that, but didn't comment as he held a finger to his lips. "Are you hungry? I'm hungry."

"I haven't got anything in..." Craig said as the Doctor made his way back to the kitchen. Within moments he was riffling through the fridge, pulling out eggs, ham and cheese.

"You've got everything I need for an omelette fines herbes, pour trois." The Doctor declared, having caught sight of a photo on the door of the fridge as he grabbed a pan and cracked eggs into it. "So, who's the girl on the fridge?"

"My friend. Sophie."

"Girlfriend?"

"A friend who is a girl. There's nothing going on."

"Oh, that's completely normal. Works for me." The Doctor grabbed a grater and worked the cheese through it. He next tore up some slices of ham and tossed them in.

"We met at work about a year ago, at the call centre."

The Doctor tilted his head as he added pepper to the pan. "Oh really, a communications exchange? That could be handy."

"Firm's going down though. The bosses are using a totally rubbish business model." Craig rambled, even as the Doctor went back to the fridge to grab mayo and add it to the pan. "I know what they should do. I got a plan all worked out. But I'm just a phone drone, I can't go running in saying I know best..." He suddenly realised what he was doing. "Why am I telling you this? I don't even know you."

"Well, I've got one of those faces." The Doctor said, plucking up a wooden spoon. "People never stop blurting out their plans while I'm around."

"Trust me," Ember nodded from where she was leaning against the opposite counter. "You wouldn't believe how much we hear."

Craig decided to let it go, figuring that he probably wouldn't understand anyway. "Right. Where's your stuff?"

"Oh, don't worry, it'll materialise." The Doctor said, stirring the contents of the pan thoroughly. "If all goes to plan."

* * *

Not long later, Craig was sat on his sofa while the Doctor was sat in the armchair next to it. Ember had intended to sit either on the floor or on the other end of the sofa, but the Doctor had pulled her to sit on the arm of the armchair. The arm was wide enough for her to sit comfortably, so she didn't argue. The three of them had thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu lunch.

Craig put his now empty plate on the coffee table in front of them and sat back with a sigh of content. "Oh, that was incredible. That was absolutely brilliant. Where did you learn to cook?"

"Paris, in the eighteenth century." The Doctor said before he cut himself off as Ember discreetly nudged him. "No, hang on, that's not recent, is it? Seventeenth? No, no, no. Twentieth. Sorry, I'm not used to doing them in the right order."

"...Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?" Craig asked after a moment, unwittingly grabbing a set of keys that were next to him; the same set with the pink fluffy thing attached.

"They never really stop. Ever been to Paris, Craig?"

"Nah. I can't see the point of Paris. I'm not much of a traveller."

"I can tell from your sofa."

"My sofa?"

"You're starting to look like it."

Ember slapped him on the arm as she stood and took the plates. "Rude."

"Thanks, mate, that's lovely." Craig scoffed lightly as he watched Ember take the plates to the sink. "No, I like it here. I'd miss it, I'd miss..."

"Those keys."

Craig glance at his hand, finding that he'd somehow gotten to hold the keys again, before looking at the Doctor. "What?"

"You're sort of... fondling them."

"Rude!" Ember called from the sink, having started to wash up.

"And still not ginger!" The Doctor shot back.

Craig glanced between them as they traded light banter. "I'm holding them."

"Right..."

"Anyway." Craig got up, moving to where a small wooden bowl was to the side and picking up another set of keys from it. "These, these are your keys."

"We can stay?" The Doctor asked, getting up to follow him.

"Yeah, you're weird and you can cook. It's good enough for me." Craig shrugged before he counted off the keys for them. "Right. Outdoor, front door, your door."

"Our door. Our place. Our gaff. Ha ha! Yes. Me with a key." The Doctor jingled the keys in Ember's direction. "Now I can say stuff like 'I've got the keys, let's go!'"

Craig chuckled as Ember nodded while she washed up, and then he pulled the Doctor a few feet away. "And listen, Mark and I, we had an arrangement where if you ever need me out of your hair, just give me a shout, okay?"

The Doctor nodded and copied the man's wink, before he blinked. "Why would I want that?"

"In case you want to have some... alone time with your... girlfriend?"

Now the Doctor caught on, glancing at Ember, who hadn't seemed to have heard the conversation as she placed the washed plates on the drying rack. "Oh, I will. I'll shout if that happens. Yes. Something like... I was not expecting this!"

Ember jumped at the sudden shout, nearly dropping a glass. She had known that he was going to shout, but it still caught her off guard.

The Doctor winced slightly, giving the brunette a wave when she glared, before his eye caught the stain on the ceiling again. "By the way, that... The rot. I've got the strangest feeling we shouldn't touch it."

Ember glanced back before she finished the washing up, moving to DThat's she stood next to the fridge so she could secretly look behind it at the mysterious crack in the wall - the same one that would pop up in various places. No one would touch it if she could help it.

* * *

A short time later, Craig left Ember and the Doctor to the privacy of their room. The Doctor flopped onto the bed on his back before he tapped the earpiece he was still wearing. "Earth to Pond, Earth to Pond. Come in, Pond."

There was a screech of feedback that made the Doctor flinch and sit up. "Could you not wreck my new earpiece, Pond? How's the Tardis coping?"

Ember sat on the floor beside the bed, taking off her shoes as she heard the Doctor's side of the conversation. "Ooo, nasty. She's locked in a materialisation loop, trying to land again. But she can't."

A pause as he stood up on the bed, staring up at the ceiling "I don't know what it is yet. Anything that can stop the Tardis from landing is big. Scary big." Another. "We can't go up there until we know what it is and how to deal with it. And it is vital that this man upstairs doesn't realise who and what we are. So no sonicking. No advanced technology. I can only use this because we're on scramble. To anyone else hearing this conversation, we're talking absolute gibberish. Yes, I meant we; Ember's here." Another pause as he moved to get off the bed, turning to face the brunette. "Amy says hi."

"Hi, Amy!" Ember called, smiling when the Doctor nodded to show that she'd been heard.

"Now all I've got to do is pass as an ordinary human being. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?" He moved to the fireplace, poking about at the random things that decorated it, including a pair of sunglasses. "So you're just going to be snide. No helpful hints?... Bow ties are cool. Come on, Amy, I'm a normal bloke. Tell me what normal blokes do."

To Ember's surprise, the Doctor then froze, and was she seeing it wrong because of the mirror, or was a shade of red dusting his cheeks? His voice raised in pitch a bit as well as he squeaked "Mind out of the gutter, Pond!"

After a moment, he seemed to calm. If Ember remembered right, Amy was suggesting things like going to the pub or playing football. "I could do those things. I don't, but I could." There was a bang upstairs. "Hang on. Wait, wait, wait. Amy?"

Ember was about to stand, only to clutch her head as pain flared through it, similar to what she'd felt after Pete had avoided the car that killed him. "Agh!"

The Doctor was kneeling at her side in moments, pulling her to him as he looked at his watch and saw the hands going backwards and forewards very rapidly. "I was afraid of this. Localised time loop."

Ember flinched and whimpered. She faintly heard Amy's voice on the Bluetooth device, but not enough to hear what she saying.

"Time distortion. Whatever's happening upstairs is still affecting you."

After a few moments, the pain eased, leaving Ember panting as she sagged against the Doctor. Amy said something that he replied to. "My end's good... No, no, no, not really. Just keep the zigzag plotter on full. That'll protect you." Another pause. "Amy, I said the zigzag plotter!"

Ember panted as she leaned against the Doctor. _'Great,' _she thought. _'So now I'm gonna feel it when that happens.'_

"What, you're standing with the door behind you?" The Doctor was saying. "Okay, take two steps to your right and pull it again. Now, I must not use the sonic. I've got work to do. Need to pick up a few items."

He turned off the Bluetooth and shifted so that he faced Ember. "Feel better?"

"Getting a bit sick of feeling pain when something goes screwy with time." Ember muttered. She didn't protest as the Doctor pulled her up and onto the bed, gently removing her jacket and leaving her in a short-sleeved, dark blue top. "Had enough of this in the church..."

The Doctor urged her to lay down, pulling her feet up onto the bed and using his foot to push her shoes to the side. "I know. I wish you didn't have to go through this."

Ember sighed as her head met the pillow, shifting to lay on her right side. "How often does this happen to me?"

"Too often, but in time, you'll get used to it." The Doctor sat on the edge of the bed, just by her hip. "You told me once that I helped you with some barriers. I could try now, if you like?"

"As long as you don't go poking your nose where you shouldn't, I'm up for it."

The Doctor moved his hand, pressing two fingers against her left temple, and closed his eyes. He mentally reached out to her, withdrawing slightly as she flinched. "It's alright. Just breathe. If there's something you don't want me to see, then put it behind a wall."

"Easier to imagine a door..." Ember mumbled, trying to relax as she felt his mind brush against hers. It reminded her of the times they'd done this before, only with a slight difference since this was for a different purpose. His fingers were soothingly cool, just like they had been when he'd accidentally grabbed her leg back in Lazarus' machine...

The image of stormy brown eyes made her flinch again, and she struggled to throw it behind a door as she heard the Doctor chuckle in the real world. She really hoped he hadn't seen that. "Doors are easier to get past: walls are stronger."

With that thought, she threw up walls, hoping she wasn't doing too bad a job. "I'm not sure if I'm doing it right..."

"Let me check..." she felt a light pressure somewhere in her mind, somehow knowing that he wasn't putting his full effort into it. "There's a few holes here and there. Hang on, lemme give it a go."

She felt the walls she put up become a bit stronger, and then his presence backed off. She sighed as she felt alone in her own mind again, though the thought left her strangely disappointed that it had ended so soon.

The Doctor retreated from her mind fully, knowing better than to outstay his welcome: He knew what would happen if he didn't. His fingers remained on her temple. "You should rest. Do you need help getting to sleep?"

Ember wanted to protest, or offer to help him instead, but found herself feeling more tired than anything. "If it isn't too much..."

Nodding, the Doctor reestablised the connection and sent a mental suggestion to sleep. He kept the suggestion light so as not to set off her defences, as well as to make sure she knew that she had a choice to accept it or not. He felt her drift off before he pulled back mentally, opening his eyes and watching her for a moment as he brushed a loose strand of hair away from her eyes.

His own eye caught a flash of black, and he turned his head to look at her left arm. It was bent so the hand was near her face, and the short sleeve had ridden up slightly to show the mark that was appearing on her bicep. Carefully, he moved his hand to her arm and used his fingers to push the fabric a little higher so he could see the mark better, taking in the perfect circular shape and the darkening within the circle.

"It won't be long," he murmured, brushing his thumb over the mark. It was unclear what his feelings on the matter were. "I can feel it..."

He then felt something; her own subconscious mind brushing against his. He closed his eyes and let himself brush it back, sighing softly at the familiarity of it, before he attempted to retreat. Attempted being the operative word: the presence immediately sensed his retreat and seemed to latch on to him, and he could almost hear the soft keen of protest.

In the physical world, Ember shifted in her sleep with a small sound, her left hand reaching out for something.

The Doctor physically took the hand in his own as he focused on the presence clinging to his own. His voice was barely audible as he spoke aloud and in his mind. "It's alright. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere..."

He felt the keen again before it reluctantly retreated, allowing him to break the connection and open his eyes. He moved the hand that was on Ember's arm and gently brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek, smiling when she shifted again as though to lean into the touch.

He so badly wanted to tell her everything, but it was too early. She hadn't even gotten to _that_ yet. He had to wait.

Gently pulling himself free from her hold, he stood and quietly left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

* * *

_"Tell me, child... why are you here?"_

_"You won't remember the details, but I recall it clearly..."_

_"I want to help you. Together, we can be better!"_

_"I won't let you do this! Never again!"_

_"No more..."_

* * *

Ember woke from another weird dream to find that it was morning. She moved to sit up, only to blink in puzzlement. Somehow, the Doctor had moved the mattress - with her still on it - to the corner of the room, giving him the bed frame to begin building his contraption. "When did this happen?"

No one answered, since she was alone in the room. Ember got off the mattress and grabbed her jacket, checking the mirror to make sure she was at least presentable before she opened the door and left the room. She stopped when she saw Craig standing outside a closed door. "Um... he's in the shower?"

Before Craig could answer, the Doctor's voice came from beyond the closed door, singing to some tune only he heard. "Ta ra ra boom de ay quanda rilo, something is happening!"

Craig knocked on the door. "Doctor!"

"Hello?"

"How long are you going to be in there?"

"Oh, sorry. I like a good soak!"

Ember moved to the door then, knocking. "Doctor, you're using up the hot water!"

"Sorry?"

There was a loud bang from upstairs, making Craig and Ember look up. "What the hell was that?"

"What did you say?"

"I'm just going to go upstairs." Craig said, moving to the stairs. "See if he's okay."

"You sure?" Ember asked, but he waved her off and left the flat, starting up the stairs, so she turned back to the bathroom door. "Um, Doctor? There's noises from upstairs and Craig has gone up to check it out!"

**"**Sorry? What did you say?"

"Damn it, Doctor, get your head out of the shower! Craig's gone upstairs!" She knew that the young man would be fine, since he wasn't a person of interest, but it didn't stop her from feeling worried.

"Craig?" She heard the shower curtain open, and then a squeak and a thud. "Ow!"

Ember winced, knowing that he'd slipped and fallen. He muttered something else before the bathroom door opened and he came running out. Ember was just able to catch sight of an electric toothbrush in his hand and smiled as she let him pass her: she chose not to look at him any further, knowing that he would drop the towel in his haste. She stepped into the bathroom and grabbed the Sonic from the toothbrush holder.

Why the heck was it in there anyway?

She came back out of the bathroom just in time, as Craig was back at the bottom of the stairs with the Doctor, who was clad in only a towel and pointing the whirring electric toothbrush at the door upstairs.

"Is that my toothbrush?" Craig asked.

The Doctor looked at the toothbrush. "Correct. You spoke to the man upstairs?"

"Yeah..."

"What did he look like?"

"More normal than you do at the moment, mate. What are you doing?"

"Uh... I thought you might be in trouble."

Craig chuckled. "Thanks. Well, if I ever am, you can come and save me with my toothbrush."

A phone rang inside the flat, prompting Craig to go to answer it. Ember moved to the Doctor's side and waved the Sonic at him. "Why was the Sonic in the bathroom?"

"Um..."

The front door opened, and the two turned to see the woman from the photo on the fridge - Sophie - step in.

"Oh!" She said when she saw them after she'd closed the door. "Hello."

"Ah! Hello! I'm the Doctor, and this is Ember."

"Right. Craig told me about you two."

"You must be Sophie." The Doctor went up to her and gave her a couple of 'air kisses'.

"Oh!" Sophie was surprised by the action, but not unpleasantly. She then shook Ember's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"And you," the brunette said with a smile. "Craig's just in here."

The three of them went into the flat, just in time to hear him speaking on his phone.

"No, Dom's in Malta. There's nobody around. Hang on a sec." He faced the Doctor. "We've got a match today, pub league. We're one down if you fancy it?"

"Pub league," the Doctor said. "A drinking competition?"

Craig blinked, slightly confused as he put the phone against his shoulder. "No, football. Play football."

"Football. Football! Yes, blokes play football! I'm good at football, I think."

"You've saved my life." He patted the Time Lord on the cheek in a manly way before getting back to the phone. "I've got somebody. Yeah, all right, I'll see you down there." He hung up and turned to Sophie. "Hey, Soph."

The Doctor went to the fridge and got out a small carton of milk.

"Hey, I thought I'd come early and meet your new flat mates." Sophie said.

The Doctor took a swig of the milk, straight from the carton. Ember made a mental note to get another one later. "Do you play, Sophie?"

"No, Soph just stands on the sidelines." Craig answered before she could. "She's my mascot."

"I'm your mascot? Mascot?"

"Well, yeah, not my mascot. It's a football match. I can't take a date."

"I didn't say I was your date."

"Neither did I."

The Doctor looked at them both before he spoke, handing Craig his toothbrush. "Better get dressed."

He moved to go back to his room. Craig was after him a moment later, though he was stopped as the Doctor nearly closed the door on his face. "The spare kit's just in the bottom drawer."

"Bit of a mess." The Doctor muttered before he closed the door.

Craig turned to face Sophie. "What do you think?"

"You didn't say he was gorgeous."

The Doctor opened the door again, poking his head out. "You unlocked the door. How did you do that? Those are your keys. You must have left them last time you came here."

Sophie blinked, looking at the two sets of keys in her hands. "Yeah, but I... How do you know these are my keys?"

"I've been holding them." Craig admitted, looking like he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him right about now.

"I have got another set."

The Doctor blinked as Ember moved to the door. "You've got two sets of keys to someone else's house?"

"Yeah?"

"I see. You must like it here too."

Ember pushed the door open just a little bit more so she could slip into their room. "Sorry, bit messy. I'll clean it later, promise!"

She got into the room and closed the door, leaning her back against it with a soft breath of relief. She opened her eyes...

Just in time to see the Doctor casually toss the towel to one side, having found the football kit and put it on the bed. Her eyes widened before she let out a squeak and covered her face with her hands. "Eep!"

The Doctor looked in her direction at the sound, smirking when he saw that her face was red and she was trying not to look at him. "See something you like?"

"W-Wha?" Ember was sure the pitch of her voice would have broken glass, it was that high. "I... Wha?"

"It's alright to look, you know."

Ember stuttered even more, keeping her eyes covered, and the Doctor chuckled. He liked it when he could make her get all flustered like this. He put on his underwear and the black shorts before he gave her the ok to look, which she did warily in case he'd been joking and let out a breath of relief when she found him decent.

"So, we're going out." The Doctor said to Amy via earpiece as he put the football shirt on. Upon finding it to be on back to front - coincidentally with the number 11 on the back - he pulled his arms out of the sleeves to correct it. "If we hang about the house all the time, him upstairs might get suspicious and notice us."

Ember moved to sit on the mattress so she could put her shoes on as the Doctor continued. "Yeah, football. All outdoorsy. Now, football's the one with the sticks, isn't it?"

"That's hockey," The brunette said as she finished tying her shoes and stood. "The name should explain it enough. Foot, ball. Football."

The Doctor grinned at her as he pulled the collar of his shirt up.

* * *

"What are you actually called?" Craig asked as he, Sophie, Ember and the Doctor walked through the park towards a field where the match would be. "What's your proper name?"

"Just call me the Doctor."

"Yeah." Sophie said, apparently seeing no issue.

"I can't go up to these guys and say 'hey, this is my new flat mate, he's called the Doctor'."

The Doctor looked generally confused as he passed a football between his hands. He was also wearing his tweed jacket over his football shirt, since it was still a little chilly out. "Why not?"

"Because it's weird."

They reached the pitch, where a young, dark-skinned man greeted them. "All right, Craig. Soph. All right, mate."

"Hello, I'm Craig's new flat mate. I'm called the Doctor. This is Ember, also his flat mate."

The young man looked puzzled when the Doctor gave him air kisses, but chose not to comment. "All right, Doctor. I'm Sean. So, where are you strongest?"

"Arms."

Craig stood between them, just as confused as Sean. "No, he means what position on the field."

"Not sure." The Doctor glanced at Ember, whose shrug didn't help. "The front? The side? Below."

Sean began to look concerned. "Are you any good though?"

The Doctor erased that doubt by spinning the ball on one finger. "Let's find out."

He kicked the ball and ran after it, only to stop and come back when Ember called after him. "Doctor, your jacket!"

After giving her his jacket, the Doctor and Craig joined the others on the pitch, while Ember and Sophie watched from the sidelines. To the surprise of everyone, the Doctor turned out to be very good at the game, easily dodging the other team and keeping the ball away from them.

"That's not bad. Yes! Go!" Sophie cheered before speaking to Ember. "Your boyfriend is pretty good!"

Ember shook her head as she watched the Doctor receive the ball from Craig only to misunderstand and not give it back, taking the goal himself. "Oh, he isn't my boyfriend."

Sophie looked at her. "But... you two are sharing a room. From what I've seen, it was safe to assume you two were together."

"Well, um..."

"Oh..." Sophie suddenly looked like she'd realised something. "Have you said anything to him yet? It might be scary, but you'll never know until you try."

Ember glanced at her. "Maybe you should take that advice too."

Sophie turned her eyes back to the pitch, her face slightly thoughtful even as she cheered. Ember did the same, blushing when the Doctor blew her a kiss after he scored another goal. "Ember! I love this game!"

The match ended up pretty one-sided; the Doctor had quickly become the MVP. Though Ember had tried to include Craig in the cheering, he still seemed a bit dejected. The winning team was now hanging out at a park bench, sharing drinks and celebrating.

"You are so on the team!" Sean said, handing Craig a can before he offered one to the Doctor. "Next week we've got the Crown and Anchor. We're going to annihilate them."

"Annihilate? No." The Doctor suddenly stood straight, all humour gone. "No violence, do you understand me? Not while I'm around. Not today, not ever. I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, and you basically meant beat them in a football match, didn't you?"

Sean blinked at the abrupt change from cheery to stern and then back again. "Yeah..."

"Lovely. What sort of time?"

Craig opened a can of drink and got sprayed with the foam. Everyone around them laughed. Then it happened again, and again. The only ones who weren't effected were the Doctor and Ember, the latter crying out in pain as the former grabbed her and pulled her a few feet away from the group.

The Doctor clicked his earpiece. "Amy?"

Ember flinched as the pain spiked. Even with the Doctor's help the night before, the headache was still harsh, though she was at least able to keep standing this time. "Oh, I hate this..."

It was what felt like a lifetime later that the pain eased and she was able to hear the Doctor still speaking to Amy. The timeloop seemed to have ended, allowing things to go normally again.

"Oh, thank heavens. I thought for a moment the Tardis had been flung off into the vortex with you inside it, lost forever." A pause. "How are the numbers? Fives? Even better. Still, it means the effect's almost unbelievably powerful and dangerous, but don't worry. Hang on, okay? I've got some rewiring to do."

Sophie, who'd noticed that the two were a few feet away and that the brunette looked ready to keel over, approached. "Are you alright?"

"Migraine," Ember said the first thing she could think of. "Get them sometimes. I'm okay."

"Just to be sure, I'll take her home," the Doctor said, gently holding Ember to him. "She should rest."

* * *

A few hours later, the Doctor was working at the contraption he was building in their room. Ember had taken a quick shower and was taking a nap on the mattress in the corner, and he tried to keep the noise down for her sake.

Then there was a knock at the door, and he opened it just enough to stick his head out and geeet Craig. "Hello, flat mate."

Either the young man didn't see the traffic cone that the Doctor was holding, or had decided not to question yet another weird thing about his new flat mate. "Hey, man. Uh, listen. Um, Sophie's coming round tonight and I was wondering if you could give us some space?"

"Oh, don't mind us. Ember is asleep, so we're going to be quiet. You won't even know we're here." A loud bang came from upstairs. "That's the idea." He closed the door, and Craig could just hear him say "Yes, perfect! What a beauty." Before he decided to leave.

The Doctor covered his mouth with his hands as he saw Ember shift a bit in her sleep. He hadn't meant to shout, but it seemed that it wasn't enough to wake her. After checking that she was comfortable, he went over his contraption again and realised there was something missing, moving to leave the room.

Ember shifted again, her brow furrowing as another dream came...

* * *

_"She has the power, but knows no limits..."_

_"If she continues to grow like this, everything will burn..."_

_"You will guide her..."_

_"She will become the Great Fire..."_

_**"Ember..."**_

* * *

With a gasp, Ember sat up, wide awake. It took her a moment to recognise the room, and she slowly relaxed.

"Another dream..." she murmured. That was the third one now, and none of them had anything visual: Only voices that were speaking around her.

Except that last one; the one that said her name. It was closer, and it felt like it was speaking directly _to_ her...

She was interrupted from her thoughts when her watch beeped, making her jump. Shaking her head to clear it, she reached over to grab her jacket so she could find her medication. The timing was pretty good lately; it was almost always when she wasn't hiding or running for her life that the watch alerted her, almost like it was alive. The thought had her looking at it again, as though something on it would show her any indication that it was. But no; it looked like a simple smart watch one would find in any store.

After swallowing a pill without water, she got up and left the room. When she reached the kitchen, she blinked before rolling her eyes. "Oh no..."

The Doctor was sat in the armchair, with several wires around his neck and a glass of wine in front of him. Craig and Sophie were on the sofa, the former looking quite put out as the latter talked to their guest.

"I am so sorry, guys," Ember said, getting their attention. "I fell asleep. I would have kept him in the room if I wasn't."

"No problem at all," Sophie said, Craig reluctantly nodding. The Doctor grinned at her. "Are you feeling better?"

Ember nodded. "Much, thanks. I just took something for my head too, so that'll help."

"With nothing to wash it down?" The Doctor asked. "Go, kitchen, now. There's orange juice in the fridge; that'll help your stomach absorb the meds."

Ember blinked. He clearly knew that she hadn't meant normal painkillers. Maybe he'd heard the watch? She shook her head and moved to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and helping herself to orange juice. "I can take him off your hands if he's bothering you."

Sophie shook her head. "No, it's fine. We were just talking about how there's six billion people on the planet doing pretty much the same; work, weekend, work, weekend."

"Six billion people." The Doctor mused. "Watching you two at work, I'm starting to wonder where they all come from."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

The Doctor smoothly changed the topic as Ember moved to his side, letting him pull her to sit on the arm of the chair. "So then, the call centre. That's no good, then. What do you really want to do?"

Sophie hesitated. "Don't laugh. I only ever told Craig about it. I want to work looking after animals. Maybe abroad? I saw this orangutan sanctuary on telly."

"What's stopping you?"

"She can't." Craig said. "You need loads of qualifications."

"Yeah, true. Plus it's scary." Sophie added. "Everyone I know lives round here. Like, Craig got offered a job in London. Better money. He didn't take it."

"What's wrong with staying here? I can't see the point of London."

The Doctor tilted his head. "Well, perhaps that's you, then. Perhaps you'll just have to stay here, secure and a little bit miserable, till the day you drop. Better than trying and failing, eh?"

Sophie looked at him. "You think I'd fail?"

"Everybody's got dreams, Sophie. Very few are going to achieve them, so why pretend?" He took a mouthful of his wine, only to spit it back into the glass with a look of disgust. Ember wrinkled her nose at him. "Perhaps, in the whole wide universe, a call centre about is where you should be."

"Why are you saying that? That's horrible."

"Is it true?"

"Of course it's not true! I'm not staying in a call centre all my life. I can do anything I want..." Sophie had started it as a defence, but then she saw the Doctor smile knowingly and it clicked. "Oh, yeah... Right. Oh, my God." She looked at Craig. "Did you see what he just did?"

"No, sorry, what's happening? Are you going to live with monkeys now?"

"It's a big old world, Sophie." The Doctor said. "Work out what's really keeping you here, eh?"

"I don't know." Sophie snuck at glance at Craig while he wasn't looking, missing that Ember and the Doctor saw it. "I don't know..."

* * *

Ember was finally able to get the Doctor to leave the two alone, dragging him back to their room where his big, scanning thing was ready to go. The miscellaneous parts of it included; a wheel and pedals of a bicycle, an umbrella, a clothes line, a rake, a broom and even an oar. Ember wondered who he'd stolen all of this from.

"Right. Shield's up. Let's scan." The Doctor said as he made the contraption start spinning. His earpiece was also on, so he could hear Amy. "Upstairs... No traces of high technology. Totally... Normal? No, no, no, no, no, it can't be. It's too normal."

Ember shook her head at him from where she was stood to one side, well out of striking range on the contraption. She knew that Amy was saying the same thing she was thinking; only he would think that 'too normal' was a problem. But then again, it most often was.

"Without knowing and get myself killed? Then you really are lost. If I could just get a look in there. Hold on... Use the data bank. Get me the plans of this building. I want to know its history, the layout, everything. Meanwhile, I shall recruit a spy."

Ember spoke up as he turned off the earpiece. "I could tell you, you know..."

The Doctor smiled, but shook his head. "But that would ruin the fun, wouldn't it?"

"I guess so. And this kinda needs to happen to bring Craig and Sophie together." She shrugged when the Doctor raised a brow at her. "What? They will get together. Even you could see that they like each other."

"True. Now, a question: will recruiting a cat work?"

Ember nodded. "Yes. He can get up there without a problem."

The Doctor moved to stand in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"Yea, doing ok, considering I get a headache whenever something goes wrong with time," Ember tried to joke it off, only to sigh when it was clear that the Doctor wasn't buying it. "I'm ok, really. I just... I'm having those dreams again. I had the first one back in that church, when you wore the leather jacket."

"Hmm," The Doctor inwardly winced at the thought of the leather jacket. "More voices?"

Ember nodded. "Yea. They keep going on about a 'she'. I'm assuming they mean me, but I don't recognise them. I've heard my own voice too, only once or twice, but I don't remember saying what I heard..."

The Doctor pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back. "Your powers recently started showing themselves, right? I think it's also triggering some memories of your past."

"You think, or you know?" Ember challenged. "I know you know something about me; about what I am, besides Time Lord. From what I can gather from these voices, I seem to be really dangerous; enough so that I need a 'guide'. Apparently if I'm not careful, I'm going to burn everything..."

The Doctor carefully moved them so they were sitting on the mattress, guiding her to lay down and put her her head on his lap. She'd resisted at first, but soon relented, trying not to blush at their position. "How about you tell me what you heard the voices say?"

With that, the two talked into the night, Ember describing what she'd heard while the Doctor listened. Though he couldn't tell her much, he was firm in the idea that these 'voices' were from memories that she'd yet to remember, making Ember more curious as to what they meant and who was talking.

They were at it for so long that she fell asleep again, forgetting that Craig had gone against their advice and had touched the rot on the ceiling...

* * *

When Ember woke up again, she was glad that she hadn't had another dream. She'd slept so much during this adventure, it was sending her out of whack.

She was just pulling her jacket on and debating wether to shower now or later when she heard the Doctor in the hallway outside their room.

"Craig? Craig?" He was calling. "Breakfast. It's normal. Craig?"

Ember's eyes widened. "Oh no!" She dashed out of the room to find the Doctor stood outside Craig's room, holding a tray that had a traditional breakfast on it. "Doctor! He touched the rot!"

The Doctor immediately went into action, somehow opening the door while holding the tray. Craig was lying in bed, pale and sickly. "Craig! Craig, Craig, Craig. I told you not to touch it. Look, what's that?" He grabbed the man's arm, examining a long, green, squiggly line that ran up from his fingers. "It's an unfamiliar and obviously poisonous substance. Oh, I know what'd be really clever; I'll stick my hand in it! Come on, Craig, breathe." He put his hands together and hit Craig on the chest, making him gasp. "Come on, Craig, breathe. Thems are healthy footballer's lungs!"

He got up and grabbed the teapot, about to run out of the room when Ember nearly crashed into him, her hands full of as many teabags as she could find.

"Enzyme decay," she said, slightly out of breath.

The Doctor nodded, taking the top off the teapot and stuffing the teabags into it, taking the wooden spoon that Ember had also brought. "Excite the tannin molecules..."

Ember stood by, ready to get anything that was needed, as the Doctor was able to rouse Craig and get him to drink the super-strong tea straight from the spout of the teapot.

"I've got to go to work..." the man rasped weakly.

"On no account. You need rest." The Doctor said, moving the teapot again. "One more."

Craig did so without a fight before he spoke again. "It's the planning meeting... It's important..."

"Work isn't more important than your health," Ember said softly.

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "You're important. You're going to be fine, Craig." He patted the man on the head as he drifted off to sleep, and he stood up and turned to face Ember. "This meeting?"

"His ideas to help the company he works for." Ember explained as they quietly left the room. "They'll like them, if they get to hear it."

The Doctor looked thoughtful. "Want to do some work?"

Nodding, Ember went back into their room to grab her shoes before they left the flat.

* * *

Nearly seven and a half hours later, Ember and the Doctor were at the call centre where Craig worked (Ember had called Sophie to ask where it was).

The Doctor was sat at a desk with a headset on and talking to someone as Ember helped Sophie, when a panicked and sweaty Craig came running in. His boss, who happened to be there, turned to face him.

"Oh, afternoon." He said with a touch of sarcasm.

"I'm so sorry, Michael." Craig panted. "I don't know what happened. I've got no excuse..."

The Doctor, who'd been looking at something under the desk, chose that moment to sit up as he spoke into the headset. "And I think that's not what my screen is telling me, Mister Lang."

"What's he doing here?" Craig asked his boss before facing the Time Lord. "What are you doing here?"

"If that's your attitude, Mister Lang, I suggest you take your custom elsewhere." The Doctor blew a raspberry loudly into the headset before he hung up, much to Craig's dismay.

"No, no, no, that's one of my best clients!"

The Doctor finally seemed to notice him, smiling as a ladle twitched on the desk. Where it had come from and why it was there, no one knew or cared. "Hello, Craig! How are you feeling? Had some time to kill. I was curious. Never worked in an office. Never worked in anywhere."

"You're insane!"

"Leave off the Doctor. I love the Doctor!" Micheal said, smiling at the man. "He and Miss Ember were brilliant in the planning meeting."

Craig's eyes widened in fear. "You went to the planning meeting?"

"Yes. Ember and I were your representatives. We don't need Mister Lang any more. Rude Mister Lang..."

Sophie and Ember appeared then, the former with some files and the latter with a small plate of biscuits. "Here you go, and Ember found some custard creams."

"Ah, Ember, my hero as always."

Ember blushed a little before she saw Craig. "Hi. I'm sorry, but we knew how important that meeting was to you, and you were so ill. But I made sure they knew that it was all your ideas, I promise. We haven't taken credit for any of it."

Craig seemed to be grateful for that, giving her a weak smile as Sophie approached. "Hi, Craig. I went on the web, applied for a wildlife charity thing. They said I could always start as a volunteer straight away. Should I do it?"

"Yeah, great. Yeah, good. Go for it." He muttered, not really hearing the conversation.

"You look awful. About turn. Bed, now." The Doctor said before he focused on his computer screen "Who next? Oh, yes. Hello, Mister Joergensen. Can you hold? I have to eat a biscuit."

Craig reluctany turned to leave, though he paused when Ember caught up with him. "I'm sorry. I know you probably feel like he's ruining your life, but I promise, something brilliant will come out of it. Just... give him a chance?"

"Um..." he wanted to say no; to tell her that she and the Doctor should not come back to the flat, but there was something about the way she seemed so sincere that made him feel like he could at least trust her. If he hadn't been so smitten with Sophie, he'd have probably liked her. "Okay... well, I'll be going..."

Ember gave him a smile as he left. She knew it was a slim chance, but she hoped that she'd helped him feel a little better.

* * *

A few more hours later, the Doctor and Ember returned to the flat. They had just come in the front door when they heard a meow and turned to find a fluffy cat coming down the stairs.

"Have you been upstairs?" The Doctor asked. The cat meowed again. "Yes?"

Ember moved to sit on the bottom step, smiling when the cat immediately climbed onto her lap and settled with a purr. "Bet it was scary, huh?"

The Doctor moved to sit on the step above hers, reaching out to pet the cat. "You can do it. Show me what's up there? What's behind that door? Try to show me." He frowned when he saw it. "Oh, but that doesn't make sense. Ever see anyone go up there? Lots of people? Good, good. What kind of people?" The cat meowed again. "People who never came back down? Oh, that's bad. That's very bad."

The door to their flat opened, revealing Craig, who didn't look happy. "I'm sorry, but I can't take this any more. I want you to go."

Ember felt the cat grumble, and she was almost sure she heard it protest against her leaving. The Doctor got up and just about got through the door when Craig shoved a familiar brown bag at him.

"You can have this back and all." Craig said.

"What have I done?"

"For a start, talking to a cat!"

"Lots of people talk to cats." The Doctor pointed out, tossing the bag over his shoulder and not caring when it resulted in money flying into the hallway.

"And everybody loves you, and you're better at football than me, and my job, and now Sophie's all oh, monkeys, monkeys, and then there's that!"

Ember gently moved the cat off of her lap, giving it one last scratch behind the ears when it protested again, before she moved into the flat, closing the door behind her, and joined the two men outside her and the Doctor's room, the door of which now open to show the spinning contraption inside.

"It's art." The Doctor tried to play it off. "A statement on modern society, Ooo, ain't modern society awful."

"Me and you, it's not going to work out." Craig said. Ember blinked, wondering why she wasn't included in that sentence. "You've only been here three days. These have been the three weirdest days of my life."

The Doctor faced him. "Your days will get a lot weirder if I go."

"It was good weirdness. It's not, it's bad weird. I can't do this any more!"

"Craig, we can't leave this place. We're like you, we can't see the point of anywhere else. Madrid? Ha, what a dump! We have to stay."

"No, you don't. You have to leave."

"We can't go."

"Just get out!" Craig grabbed the Doctor by the front of his jacket, intending to physically pull the man out, only to pause when the Doctor copied the action to him.

"Right. Only way. I'm going to show you something, but shush. Really, shush. Oh, I am going to regret this." He muttered either to himself or to Craig. "Okay, right. First, general background."

With that, he slammed his forehead into Craig's, both men crying out. Ember flinched at the sound of heads knocking together, feeling her own head throb in sympathy.

Suddenly, Craig gasped and pointed at the Doctor with wide eyes. "Oh! You're a..."

The Doctor nodded from where he was leaning against the wall, rubbing his forehead. "Yes."

"From..." Craig pointed upwards.

"Shush."

"You've got a Tardis!"

"Yes! Shush! Eleventh." The Doctor gestured to his own face before he grabbed Craig by the lapels again. "Right. Okay, specific detail."

And promptly head butted the man again. Both of them cried out once more. "Argh!"

Craig gasped and pointed again. "You saw my ad in the paper shop window!"

"Yes, with this right above it." The Doctor showed him the note that Amy had left. "Which is odd, because Amy hasn't written it yet. Time travel. It can happen."

"That's a scanner. You used non-technological technology of Lammasteen!" Craig said, now seeing the weird contraption for what it was. He glanced back at Ember, his eyes widening even more. "And you! You're Ember! The Great Fire! You're a-"

Whatever he was about to say, it was cut off as the Doctor threw his hand over Craig's mouth. "Shut up!"

Ember blinked. What was Craig about to say? The Doctor glanced over at her and mouthed 'spoilers', which made her sigh and let it go.

"I am never, never doing that ever, ever again." He muttered, tapping his earpiece to turn it on. "Amy..."

"That's Amy Pond!" Craig gasped, covering his own mouth now.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, of course, you can understand us now. Hurrah. Got those plans yet?" A pause. "I've worked it out, with psychic help from a cat. Yes. I know he's got a time engine in the flat upstairs. He's using innocent people to try and launch it. Whenever he does, they get burnt up, hence the stain on your ceiling."

Craig nodded. "From the ceiling..."

"Well done, Craig. And you, Miss Pond, nearly get thrown off into the Vortex, and Ember feels the pain from the resulting time loop it causes."

There was a loud crash from upstairs, and Ember flinched as the pain suddenly flared up in her head again, making her lean against the wall.

"People are dying up there?" Craig asked, looking up. Then he was caught in the loop, repeating "People are dying." Several times before he shook himself out of it. "They're being killed!" He looked at Ember again. "And it's hurting her!"

"Someone's up there." The Doctor said, moving to Ember's side and letting her lean on him. "Hang on. Craig, come on. Someone's dying up there!"

Craig moved to follow them, but then his eye caught sight of the open front door, a set of keys with a fluffy pink key ring still in the lock. "Sophie... It's Sophie that's dying up there! It's Sophie!"

The Doctor and Ember reached the top of the stairs, with Craig not far behind them, when Amy said something to make him stop. "Wait, wait. Amy?" A pause. "Just going in... Of course I can be upstairs."

Ember was in too much pain to hear, but Craig did when Amy said there was no upstairs. "What? What?"

"Oh. Oh, of course. The time engine isn't in the flat, the time engine _is_ the flat." The Doctor opened the door, revealing the interior to be that of a dark spaceship. "Someone's attempt to build a Tardis..."

"No, there's always been an upstairs." Craig protested.

"Has there? Think about it."

"Yes. No. I don't-"

"Perception filter. It's more than a disguise. It tricks your memory."

Suddenly there was a scream, and Sophie appeared on the other side of the room. Beams of light were connecting her hand to the central console, pulling her closer to it.

"Sophie!" Craig cried. "Sophie! Oh, my God, Sophie!"

"Craig!"

The Doctor let Ember stay by the door as he ran over to the console. "It's controlling her. It's willing her to touch the activator."

"That's not going to have her!" Craig yelled, running over to hold Sophie back. Her hand pressed against the sphere on the side.

The Doctor tried to use his Sonic, but came up short. "Ah, deadlock seal!"

"You've got to do something!"

Suddenly, the beams disappeared, making Sophie fall back into Craig's arms.

"What? Why's it let her go?" The Doctor looked back at Ember, but she had not yet recovered from the last loop. "So, okay..."

A hologram of a man appeared a few feet away. "You will help me."

The Doctor straightened. "Right. Stop. Crashed ship, let's see. Hello, I'm Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue. Please state the nature of your emergency."

"The ship has crashed. The crew are dead. A pilot is required."

"You're the emergency crash program. A hologram. What, you've been luring people up here so you can try them out?" The Doctor soniced the hologram, making it shift from an old man to a little girl to a young man.

"You will help me." The hologram repeated, the voice changing to suit whatever image it was on. "You will help me. You will help me."

"Craig, what is this?" Sophie asked. "Where am I?"

The Doctor cut them off before there was an answer. "Hush. Human brains aren't strong enough, they just burn. But you're stupid, though. You just keep trying."

"Seventeen people have been tried." The hologram replied. "Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six remain."

"Seriously, what is going on?" Sophie asked again.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, for goodness sake. The top floor of Craig's building is in reality an alien space ship intent on slaughtering the population of this planet. Any questions? No, good."

"Yes, I have questions!"

"The correct pilot has now been found."

The Doctor looked at the hologram in dread. "Yes, I was a bit worried that you were going to say that."

Beams appeared again, but instead of going to the Doctor like he expected, they shot at Ember and grabbed her hand. In her surprise, she almost fell over, battling between the pain in her head and the pull of the beams.

"The correct pilot has been found." The hologram repeated. "The correct pilot has been found. The correct pilot has been found."

Amy asked what was happening, the Doctor being the only one to hear her as he ran over to hold Ember and try to keep her back. "It's pulling Ember in! She's the new pilot!"

_"Could she do it?"_ Amy's voice could just about be heard now that Ember was close enough. _"Could she fly the ship safely?"_

"No, I'm way too much for this ship as it is, Ember is infinitely more so! Her hand touches that panel, the planet doesn't blow up; everything does!"

The hologram obviously showed no care. "The correct pilot has been found."

"No! Worst choice ever, I promise you! Stop this!"

_"Doctor?"_ Amy called. _"It's getting worse!"_

"I hadn't noticed, with this pain in my head!" Ember snapped back. "Doctor! It doesn't want everyone!"

The Doctor's face dawned in realisation. "It doesn't want everyone... Craig, it didn't want you!"

"I spoke to him and he said I couldn't help him." Craig confirmed.

"It didn't want Sophie before but now it does. What's changed? Oh." It suddenly became clear. "No. No, I gave her the idea of leaving. It's a machine that needs to leave: It wants people who want to escape. And you don't want to leave, Craig. You're Mister Sofa Man!"

"Argh!" Ember cried. If it wasn't for the Doctor helping to keep her back, she would have lost the battle already. Pain shot through her skull, as well as a feeling of something rushing up from deep within...

"Craig, you can shut down the engine!" The Doctor yelled, digging his heels in to try to give them more time. "Put your hand on the panel and concentrate on why you want to stay!"

"Craig, no..." Sophie said

"Will it work?" Craig asked.

The Doctor grunted as he and Ember were dragged forward another few inches. "Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Is that a lie?"

"Of course it's a lie!"

"No, it's not!" Ember cried. Her hand was inches away from the dome now, and her head felt like it was going to explode. "It'll work, I promise!"

"It's good enough for me. Geronimo!" Craig slammed his hand on the dome nearest to him, getting shocked immediately. "Argh!"

Ember was released at the same moment, falling into the Doctor's arms, barely conscious.

"Craig, what's keeping you here?" The Doctor yelled. "Think about everything that makes you want to stay here. Why don't you want to leave?"

"Sophie!" Craig replied. "I don't want to leave Sophie. I can't leave Sophie. I love Sophie!"

Sophie blinked away tears as she smiled. "I love you, too, Craig, you idiot."

She put her hand on Craig's, making more sparks and smoke appear.

Ember gave a weak cry before she passed out in the Doctor's arms, barely hearing him call her name.

When she woke up next, she found herself outside. The Doctor was carrying her in his arms, and Craig and Sophie were with them. Her head was no longer pounding. "Wha...?"

"Hello," The Doctor said. He looked relieved to see her awake. "Feeling better?"

"Yea, I think so," Ember murmured as the Doctor let her stand. She looked at the flat, blinking as she noticed that the top floor was now gone. "Oh. We did it, then?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yea. We did it."

* * *

A short time later, the Doctor and Ember were just finishing tidying up their room (Ember had promised to clean it, after all). The Doctor went to give the keys back to Craig, only to see him and Sophie kissing on the sofa. With a soft smile, he put the keys in the small wooden bowl and turned to meet Ember at the door to the flat.

"Oi." The Doctor turned at Craig's voice, blinking when he saw the new couple approach.

"What, you're trying to sneak off?" Sophie asked.

"Yes, well..." the Doctor shrugged. "You were sort of busy."

Craig smiled, grabbing the keys from the bowl. "I want you to keep these."

"Thank you. Because I might pop back soon, have another little stay."

"No, you won't." Craig said. "I've been in your head, remember? I still want you to keep them."

The Doctor's expression softened, genuinely touched. "Thank you, Craig."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Sophie. Now then... Six billion four hundred thousand and twenty six people in the world. That's the number to beat."

Sophie smiled. "Yeah."

As she and the Doctor shared a hug, Craig moved over to where Ember was waiting. "Thanks for trying to make him seem... less weird."

"Sorry we almost ruined it for you," Ember replied with a smile.

"Ah, I should be thanking you." Craig glanced behind him for a moment before he leaned closer and lowered his voice. "You should say something to him."

Ember blinked, puzzled. "What?"

"The Doctor. I've seen the way you look at each other. You should say something to him, cause we both know he's not always so sharp."

Ember tilted her head with a smile. "Thanks, Craig. I might, but not yet. I'm not even sure yet."

"Give it time."

The Doctor came over to them at that point and gave Ember a one armed hug, only to frown when he saw the light begin to appear. "Oh really? So soon?"

"Not like I can help it, Doctor!" Ember retorted, having felt the burning sensation start again. "See you soon!"

She jumped, leaving the Doctor and Craig smiling while Sophie looked shocked.

* * *

There we go. Ember gets and eyeful and some advice. Will she act on it?

Next Time: Ember and the Doctor are recruited, but why? To rob a bank, of course!


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Time Heist

Ok, here's the next one! You're gonna learn another new thing about Ember here!

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Time Heist

Ember found herself in the Tardis, hearing a phone ringing, and it took a moment for her to realise that it was the emergency telephone on the outside of the blue box. She moved to the door and opened it just as the Twelth Doctor was about to answer the phone, though he stopped to look at her in confusion. "Hi. Guess we're going on a trip?"

"We are?" The Doctor said, puzzled. "You know who's calling?"

"Yep. Now you'd better answer. She probably doesn't like to be made to wait."

* * *

As far as the Doctor knew, one moment, he was with Ember and Clara in her home, answering the ringing phone of the Tardis. And the next thing he knew was that instead of the telephone, he was holding a large worm with a tiny pair of horns by its jaws up against his face. He gave a shout and threw it onto the round table that he was sat at. Next to him, Clara also screamed and threw away a worm. She was dressed up ready for her date, though her heels were replaced by black boots.

"Doctor?" She asked, looking at the worm.

"Don't touch it." The Doctor said quickly.

"Where are we? How did we get here?"

There were two other people sat at the table with them: A man with computer chips attached to the shaven right side of his head and a dark-skinned woman, whose cheeks briefly bulged in imitation of the horns on the worm before she threw it away from her.

"Who are you?" The man asked. "Sorry, what's going on? I don't understand."

The woman spoke next. "What is that thing?"

"It's a memory worm." The Doctor said.

Clara had noticed the change to the woman's face, however brief. "What happened to your face?"

"Deletes your memories."

"Did you see her face?"

"How did I get here?" The woman asked the other man, who shrugged.

"The same way we all did, but we've all forgotten." The Doctor looked at a metal case that was in the middle of the table.

"And who are you?"

A speaker crackled from somewhere around them, and the Doctor's voice came from it. _"I am the Doctor, a Time Lord from Gallifrey. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will."_

_"I am Clara Oswald, human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will."_ Clara's voice was next. _"Do I really have to touch that worm thing?"_

_"Yes, you do. And change your shoes. You're next, Psi."_

The man tilted his head as his own voice came next. _"I am Psi, augmented human. I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will."_ He pulled one of the chips from his head and looked at it, seeing the words 'Memory Compromised' flashing.

_"I am Saibra, mutant human."_ The woman's voice was last. _"I have agreed to this memory wipe of my own free will."_

To the surprise of the four of them, a fifth voice then spoke, but not from a speaker. "And I am Ember, part Time Lord, part Mystery. I didn't agree to the memory wipe because I don't need it."

The Doctor turned to look just as none other than Ember appeared from the shadows, smiling at the group. She had her hair up in its usual ponytail, her singed denim jacket over a red, shortsleeved top and black jeans with matching boots. She seemed to be more confident than she normally was, the Doctor and Clara noticed.

The Doctor blinked as he caught up with what she'd said. "Wait, you didn't get your memory wiped? Why not?"

"Because I've apparently got too much in my head to risk losing it." The brunette replied, walking up to the table and reaching out. Before anyone could stop her, she grabbed the nearest worm and looked around at the surprised faces. "Somehow, I'm immune, just like with the Silence. And before you ask; no, I'm not telling you why you've had your memories wiped, because it would ruin the point of wiping them. I'm here to reassure you guys that you're all doing this for a very good reason."

Before any of them could speak, the case in the centre of the table clicked and opened with a golden light, revealing a screen on each side so everyone could see. An electronically-manipulated male voice then spoke from it as a golden K in a circle flashed on the screen for a long moment before it changed to show a shadowed figure in a black hood.

_"__This is a recorded message. I am the Architect. Your last memory is of receiving a contact from an unknown agency. Me. Everything since has been erased from your minds. Now, pay close attention to this briefing."_ The screen changed to zoom in on a planet that had only one huge building on it. _"This is the Bank of Karabraxos, the most secure bank in the galaxy. A fortress for the super-rich. If you can afford your own star system, this is where you keep it." _It showed clips of the interior of the bank, including how people get in and what happened if they weren't supposed to be there._ "No one sets foot on the planet without protocols. All movement is monitored, all air consumption regulated. DNA is authenticated at every stage. Intruders will be incinerated. __Each vault, buried deep in the earth, is accessed by a drop-slot at the planet's surface. It's atomically sealed, an unbreakable lock. The atoms have all been scrambled. Your presence on this planet is unauthorised. A team will have been despatched to terminate you."_

Suddenly, there was a hammering on the door that was on the far side of the room, and then a male voice yelled from the other side. "This is bank security. Open up!"

_"Your survival depends on following my instructions."_ The Architect continued._ "Miss Ember has also been recruited to aid your progress."_

"Open up and you shall be humanely disposed of!"

Saibra looked around and spotted another door. "There's another exit!"

_"All the information you need is in this case..."_

Psi took another chip from his head and plugged it into the case, which the Doctor noticed and asked what he was doing. "Downloading."

"Ah. Augmented. Nice." The Doctor took out an item that was about the size of a mobile phone from the case.

_"The Bank of Karabraxos is impregnable."_ The Architect said as the guards outside demanded they be let in. _"The Bank of Karabraxos has never been breached. You will rob the Bank of Karabraxos."_

"And now it's time to run," Ember said, taking off for the other door. The other four weren't far behind, and they soon found themselves running down a corridor.

The Doctor, to Ember's puzzlement and concern, seemed to get a bit breathless as he lagged behind and then called out to them. "Okay, okay, okay. Stop, stop, stop. Far enough. Augmented human. Computer augmented, yes? Mainframe in your head?"

Psi shrugged. "I'm a gamer. Sorry, who put you in charge?"

"You're a liar. That's a prison code on your neck."

"I'm a hacker slash... bank robber..."

"Good. This is a good day to be a bank robber." The Doctor turned to Saibra. "Mutant human. What kind of mutant?"

"Like he says, why are you in charge now?" She asked.

"It's my special power. What's yours?"

A moment passed, and then she sighed and moved to Clara, taking her hand. A second later, and there were two Claras stood before them, before Saibra let go and became herself again. "I touch living cells, I can replicate the owner."

Clara blinked. "Your face, when we first saw you..."

"I touched the worm."

"You can replicate their clothes too?"

"I wear a hologram shell."

The Doctor held up the object he took from the case. "Human cells. DNA from a customer, maybe? A disguise to get us in?"

"We're actually going to do it?" Clara said to him, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. "Rob the bank?"

"I don't think we have a choice. We've already agreed to." The Doctor looked at Ember. "Is that right?"

The brunette nodded. "The bank has something that each of us want, for one reason or another. I can't tell you what they are or why you want them, but I promise, it's worth fighting for."

The Doctor put his hand on her shoulder. "And this Architect? Whose side is he on?"

"Ours. And he knew that you wouldn't have gone into this blind unless I was here to reassure you."

Nodding, the Doctor looked at the other three members of their group. "Good enough for me. So, let's rob a bank!"

* * *

The five would-be robbers were now outside the bank. Saibra was the only one who looked different, now taking on the appearance of an older, white haired man in a suit.

"How long can you maintain the image for?"

Saibra answered, her voice now male to match the image. "For as long as I like."

They entered the bank, Saibra leading the way through the massive open space that was littered with people.

"Question one." The Doctor said, keeping his voice low. "Robbing banks is easy if you've got a Tardis. So why am I not using it?"

"Question two, where _is_ the Tardis?" Clara said.

"Okay, that probably should be question one." The Doctor looked at Ember. "Do you know?"

Ember nodded. "It's safe. That's all you need to know. As for why you aren't using it; this bank wouldn't be so special if you could get in that easily."

Suddenly, an alarm sounded and security grills blocked all the exits. The Bank computer spoke in a friendly, almost cheerful male voice._ "Banking floor locking down."_

"They know we're here." Saibra muttered, trying not to visibly show her worry.

_"Banking floor locking down."_ A door opened and out strode a tall woman with her hair up in a bun and glasses that accented perfectly with her sharp suit. She practically oozed confidence as she and two suited heavies walked right to a male, dark-skinned customer.

The Doctor took Ember's hand as he noticed her visibly tense when something else came out of the door. A tall creature with two-toed feet, wearing an orange jumpsuit that doubled as a straight jacket that was attached to chains being held by armed escort. It's eyes were on long stalks at the top of its head.

"What is that?" Saibra asked.

"I don't know. Hate not knowing." The Doctor said, squeezing Ember's hand in an attempt at silent comfort. She moved closer to him in acknowledgment.

The woman leading the new arrivals spoke to the man they'd approached. Ember knew from what she'd been told beforehand that her name was Delphox. "Excuse me, sir. I regret to say that your guilt has been detected."

"What?" The customer asked, getting flustered as the heavies moved to stand either side of him. "That, that's totally ridiculous."

"Is it, sir? Well then, we will certainly double-check. The Teller will now scan your thoughts for any criminal intent. Good luck, sir." Delphox stepped aside as the man put down his briefcase. The creature stepped forward.

"Interesting." The Doctor mused.

Psi heard him. "What is?"

"The latest thing in sniffer dogs. Telepathic. It hunts guilt."

Clara looked concerned as there was a high pitched sound and the customer grabbed his head. "What about our guilt?"

"Currently being drowned out." The Doctor squeezed Ember's hand again.

"What's he doing?"

"If he has a plan, he's trying not to think of it."

Psi was beginning to look uncomfortable. "Ever tried not thinking about something?"

"No." Clara said.

"You may have to." Saibra said as the creature suddenly roared.

Delphox smiled. "Ah, criminal intent detected. How naughty. What was your plan? Counterfeit currency in your briefcase, perhaps?"

"No, not at all." The man tried to protest, though he was obviously in pain. "For God's sake..."

"It doesn't really matter, we'll establish the details later. The Teller is never wrong when it comes to guilt. Your account will now be deleted, and obviously your mind. Suppertime."

The armoured guards held on to the creature's chains as it stepped closer to the customer, its eye stalks pointing together and a pulsating ray aimed at the customer's head. He clutched his head and cried out. Psi flinched as the pitched sound went a bit higher.

"It's wiping his mind." The Doctor murmured, part intrigued and part disgusted. "Turning his brain into soup."

"Your next of kin will be informed, and incarcerated, as further inducement to honest financial transactions." Delphox said as the man screamed.

"We've got to help him." Clara said, though Ember was quick to grab her arm before she could move forward.

The Doctor shook his head. "He's gone already. It's over."

"He's in agony, look at him!" Clara gestured to the moisture leaking out of the man's eyes.

"Those aren't tears, Clara. That's soup."

Then it was over, the creature separating its eye stalks. The man stopped screaming and one of the suited heavies caught him as he fell. The front of his brain pan looked caved in, like there was no bone or brain there to support it.

"Account closed. Take him away. He's ready for his close-up." Delphox turned to smile kindly at the onlookers, using a small microphone make her voice heard over the speakers. "Apologies for the disturbance. Everyone have a lovely day."

The armed guard pulled on the chains, making the creature turn back toward the door as the bars retreated from the exits.

Ember felt her breath hitch as one of its eyes turned to stare right at her, the move unnoticed by almost everyone else in the room. She felt it prod at her mind, and she sent every warm feeling she could think of to it in the hopes that it wouldn't give them away. To her surprise and relief, the eye turned away and the Teller left without a fuss, along with Delphox and her heavies.

"Ok, now what?" Psi asked, rubbing his ear to soothe the ache after hearing the pitch.

"We go on as planned." Ember said, tugging the Doctor's hand and pointing to another door. "Deposit booth. Our next clue is in there."

Nodding, the Doctor led them toward the door. In the back of his mind, he wondered why Ember had been involved if she couldn't forget, and what had happened when he saw the Teller's eye look at her for a moment.

The group of five were silent as they entered the deposit booth; a small room with red walls broken up by what looked like marble pillars in each corner, and a computer interface on the far wall.

_"Deposit booth locking."_ The computer announced at Saibra approached it. _"Please exhale. Your valuables will be transported up from the vault."_

She breathed into the tube next to the computer, returning to her normal form as it turned green and clicked. After a moment, a panel opened, revealing a metal case similar to the one they'd seen at the beginning. "If he can break in here and plant this thing, then why does he need our help?"

"Depends what the thing is." The Doctor said as he moved to open the case, though he paused to look at Ember. "Any hints?"

"The same guy who gave us his DNA was the one that put this here. He has no guilt, so he got in without raising the alarm," the brunette said. "For all I know, he doesn't even know why we're here."

Nodding, the Doctor opened the case to reveal a small device in the centre. "Okay, well, I'm no expert, but fuses, timer. I'm going to stick my neck out and say bomb." He turned to Psi. "Bank schematic? Now?"

"Please." Ember added. Psi shook his head, but complied and moved to one of the marble columns, opening a small panel and plugging himself in. A screen came up, revealing the requested schematics, and the Doctor was quick to figure out where they were.

"The floor below is all service corridors, the veins and arteries of the bank." He stepped back as Psi disconnected from the panel, confusing them by doing what looked like a tap dance in the centre of the room. "He wants us to blow through the floor."

"Well, we'll die if we do that." Saibra protested.

Ember shook her head. "We might. Or we might not."

"Well, not necessarily." The Doctor agreed. "There must be a plan."

"What if the plan is, we're blowing up the floor for someone else?" Clara pointed out. "What if we're not supposed to make it out alive?"

"Oh, don't be so pessimistic. It'll affect team morale."

Saibra raised a brow. "What, and getting us blown up won't?"

"Well, only very, very briefly..."

"Er, no. No way. You can do you what you like." Psi said, moving to the door. "I'm going to take my chances out there."

Clara grabbed his arm. "Psi..."

"No, no, no. This guy, your mate, is a lunatic!"

"What do you want, Psi, more than anything else?" The Doctor said, making them look at him again. "Whatever it is, it's in this bank. You agreed to rob the most impregnable bank in history. You must have had a very good reason. We all must have. Picture the thing you want most in the universe, and decide how badly you want it. Well?"

Psi looked uncomfortable, but nodded. "Still don't understand why you're in charge."

"Basically, it's the eyebrows."

"Maybe she was supposed to be the one in charge?" Saibra gestured to Ember, who blinked in surprise. "She's the only one who knows why we're here. Why isn't she in charge?"

Ember shook her head. "I'm a terrible leader. You wouldn't want me in charge. I'm here... because I'm the morale?"

The Doctor grinned at her, priming the device and putting it in the middle of the floor as it began to give a pulsing hum. Everyone turned their backs and braced themselves, Ember getting caught by surprise when the Doctor pulled her to be between him and the wall he was facing. She couldn't help but look up at him as they waited, and felt her breath hitch again as he met her gaze and gave her a fond look that wasn't often seen on this Doctor.

Before she could comment, there was a flash and a ping behind them, and then quiet. The Doctor turned slightly so he and Ember could look, to find that the bomb had put a hole in the floor without the splendor of blowing them to bits.

The Doctor turned and picked up the bomb. "Nice. Dimensional shift bomb. Sends the particles to a different plane. Come on then, Team Not Dead."

Just as they were all under the floor, they heard thumping and yelling from the door to the deposit booth. The Doctor held up the device again and did something to make it return the floor to its normal state, before he followed the others to what looked like a basement.

"Well, so, what are we supposed to do now?" Saibra asked. "What's the plan?"

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted. "The Architect set all this up. It should make sense. My personal plan is that a thing will probably happen quite soon."

"Ah, so that's it. That's your plan?"

"Yep."

"A thing will happen?"

"A thing. Probably."

Ember smiled at the mutant woman. "Trust me, 'things' tend to happen a lot around him. It's his MO."

Whatever Saibra was going to say was interrupted by Clara calling them over to where she and Psi had found another case after climbing down a ladder. "Doctor!"

"There you go. Thing time." The Doctor said as he moved to stand in front of it.

"How does he get the cases here?" Clara asked.

"By breaking into the bank in advance of breaking into the bank."

"Well, how did he do that? And if he can do that, why does he need us?"

"Not our problem."

"Well, what is our prob-prob-prob-prob-pr..." Psi suddenly sounded like a stuck CD until he cleared his throat and stopped himself.

Clara looked concerned. "You okay?"

"Drive glitch. It's fine."

The Doctor glanced at him thoughtfully before he answered the question. "Guilt is our problem. Guilt, in this bank, is fatal. The Teller can hear it. Ever since that first case was opened, we've been targets. The more we know about why we're here, the louder our guilt screams. That's why we wiped our memories. For our own safety."

"If that's the case, then Ember should be a beacon to that thing right now." Saibra pointed out. "Why hasn't she led it to us?"

"Because Ember is special." The Doctor ignored the brunette when she rolled her eyes. "Her mind is memory-wipe-proof, meaning that things that erase memories don't work on her. And from my experiences, certain mental capabilities don't work on her either. My guess is this Architect somehow knew that, or at the very least helped her put up barriers that the Teller can't get past without her consent. If she doesn't want you in her mind, you won't be."

Ember blinked at the last bit. How did he figure that? Had it happened to her in his past?

"Now, once I open this, I can't close it again."

"Would it be safer if only one of us learned it?" Psi asked.

The Doctor looked at him. "I'm waiting for you to volunteer."

"Uh, why me?"

"Because you didn't need that memory worm, did you? You're half-computer. You can perform a manual delete. You _can_ clear your thoughts."

"Okay." The man slowly opened the case, blinked at what was inside, then shrugged. "I don't know what it is. You may as well have a look. Well, what are they?"

Inside the case were nine short tubes with metal ends and a pin at the top, like grenades.

"Not a clue." The Doctor said after a moment.

"Hmm, interesting." Saibra said, making him look at her.

"What is?"

"You're lying."

"Er, why would he be lyi-lyi-lyi-lying?" Psi shook himself again. "Ugh. Sorry. Stress. Drains the batteries."

The Doctor gestured to a wall console. "Interface with this."

Saibra looked anxious. "Do we have time for this?"

"Well, why not? There's no immediate threat."

Suddenly, an alarm sounded, along with the computerised voice again. _"Warning. Intruders detected."_

"I should stop saying things like that." The Doctor sighed as Ember gave him a flat look.

_"Intruders detected."_

"Clara, you stay with Psi. Saibra, let's go and investigate. Ember, you're with me."

The brunette didn't argue as she followed him and Saibra down the corridor. The Doctor found a grill underneath a sign that said 'No Entry Under Any Circumstances' and kicked it loose, turning to help Ember and Saibra out.

"Aren't you going to ask me?" He said to the mutant human after a minute.

"Why did you lie? Those hardware things, you know what they are."

"Exit strategy of sorts. How did you know I was lying?"

"I've had a lot of faces, I find them easy to read."

"Quite a gift."

"Gift?" Saibra repeated, puzzled and slightly insulted.

"It got us in here."

"So did your friend." Saibra shot back before she sighed. "Mutant gene. No one can touch me. If they do, I transform. Touch me, Doctor, and you'll be looking at yourself. I am alone."

"Why?"

"Could you trust someone who looked back at you out of your own eyes?"

Ember bit her lip. "It's a fine line. It's why people don't like mirrors; they can't handle their own eyes looking back at them."

They were interrupted by a moan, and followed the sound to a row of cells. Psi and Clara had just caught up to them when they found the man from before in one of the cells, held up by chains manacled to his wrists.

"Oh, my God." Clara breathed. "Why is he even still alive?"

"I don't know. But someone is watching." The Doctor replied, gesturing to a small camera in the top corner of the cell.

"Doctor..." Psi said, swallowing hard. "However this goes, whatever happens, don't let me end up like that."

The alarm and voice blared again._ "Intruders on the service level. Intruders on the service level."_

The Doctor led them to another grill and soniced it. "Now this says place to hide."

They followed him through the grill into a small room that had a glass case in the centre. The glass was misted or fogged over, but the shape of the Teller could be seen if one looked hard enough.

"Where are we?" Saibra asked.

The Doctor looked closely at the Teller, only to start when it jerked and growled. He stepped back and pulled Ember with him. "Nobody move. Nobody say a word. It's cocooned. Forced hibernation. Its power is probably dormant." There was the sound of running boots and voices outside, and the Teller shifted so that it was 'looking' at Clara. "Clara. It's locked on to you. It may still be asleep. Don't wake it."

"Okay. How do I not do that?" The young woman whispered.

"Keep your mind blank. Block everything. Once it locks onto your thoughts, it won't let go."

The Teller growled gently as Clara closed her eyes.

"It's waking up. Keep blocking your thoughts, Clara. Don't think!"

It seemed that it didn't work, as the Teller roared.

"This way." Psi guided them to another grill, but as the others got through, Saibra was the last one to move, only to stop just before the grill, her face pinched in pain. "Saibra!"

"She's still in there!" Clara said. "How do we get her out?"

The Doctor looked back. "It's scanning her brain."

"Then what?"

"Soup."

"Then help her!"

The Doctor moved closer. "Saibra!"

Saibra grunted in pain. "What should I do? How can I get away?"

"It's rooting through your brain." The Doctor said as he crawled back to her. "It's tasting all the secrets stashed inside. Any moment now, it will finish its sweep and start feasting on what's left."

"And then I become one of those things we saw sitting in a cage?"

"Yes."

"Can you not get me out?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know how, once it's locked onto your thoughts."

Ember made her way to his side, holding out one of the tubes from the case. "There's this!"

Saibra saw it. "Exit strategy. That means what I think it means, right?"

The Doctor took the tube and held it out to her. "Atomic shredder."

"Painless?"

"And instant."

"When you meet the Architect, promise me something. Kill him."

"I hate him, but I can't make that promise."

Ember shook her head. "Believe me, no one hates him more than the Doctor does. But killing him would make us less than what we are."

"A good man and woman. I left it late to meet one of those." Saibra gave them one last smile before she used the tube on herself, vanishing in bright blue light. The Teller roared in frustration.

After taking a moment to mourn, the four remaining made their way out of another grill into another corridor. At the end of it was huge, round vault door.

"Right, vault. That's clear." The Doctor said. "What's not clear is what we do now."

Clara seemed to notice to his clenched hands. "Hey. You okay?"

"No, I'm an amnesiac robbing a bank. Why would I be okay?"

"Because Saibra-"

"What? Saibra is dead, we are alive. Prioritise if you want to stay that way."

Psi looked at him. "Oh, is _that_ why you call yourself the Doctor? The professional detachment."

The Doctor rounded on him so fast it should have caused whiplash. "Listen. When we're done here, by all means, you go and find yourself a shoulder to cry on. You'll probably need that. Till then, what you need is me!"

Clara watched him walked away toward the vault, and then she faced Psi. "Underneath it all, he isn't really like that."

"It's very obvious that you've been with him for a while." Psi said to her.

"Why?"

"Because you are really good at the excuses."

Ember took a step forward. "Look, you don't understand. He's older than you'll ever guess, has seen things that would break the bravest man. He's done things that would make you cry and wonder how he has the strength to get up in the mornings. And he's done it for so long that he finds it hard to smile, so he hides his pain behind a bravado that most mistake for heartlessness. But don't you ever think that we're just making excuses for him. You don't get to make that call."

She turned and walked away, ignoring how Clara looked at her almost in pity and how Psi looked at her as though for the first time. He glanced at Clara after a moment and she just shook her head and shrugged her shoulder; not as an admission that she didn't know, but rather to tell him that he didn't _want_ to know.

Ember reached the Doctor as he was examining the vault door. "Our next clue is here."

The Doctor turned to her as soon as she spoke, easily detecting the edge on her words. He could practically feel the annoyance rolling off of her in waves, and he reached out and gently took her hand. At the contact, she seemed to sag and lose a lot of her anger, though she was still tense. He used the physical contact establish a mental connection and brush his mind against hers, and while she hadn't been expecting it, she didn't push him away. "Are you alright, Ember?"

"I'm just annoyed at people judging a book by its cover," she mumbled. "Ah, there it is."

The Doctor followed her pointing finger, to find a case in a computer access alcove by the vault door. He grabbed it as Clara and Psi approached. "Another gift from the Architect. Shall we unwrap it?"

Opening the case, they found a small device with a port in it and a printed card with letters and numbers on them. Psi plugged himself into the device to download its contents with a flinch while Clara looked at the card: TECH 252, ORG 339, PV.

"Right," Psi said after a moment, examining the lock on the vault: 24 little red lights glared at them. "The system looks like it's time-delayed. There are twenty four lock codes I need to break."

There was a growl from the corridor behind them, and Clara recognised it. "Doctor? It's coming. We're trapped."

"Psi, how long?"

"As long as it takes."

The Doctor looked at them each in turn. "It's locked on to one of our thought trails. We have to split up, minimise the brain signals."

"What happened to your professional detachment, Doctor?" Psi suddenly said, turning to face the Doctor and holding out his hand. After a moment, the Doctor handed over one of the Atomic Shredders.

Clara saw it and paled. "No, no..."

Psi gave her a firm look. "In case it finds me. It's my choice."

"You don't use that, okay? Promise me."

"Time to run." He said instead as he sat down to work. The Doctor took Clara and Ember by the hand and took off down the corridor until they reached an intersection.

"Separate." He said. He was about to pull Ember with him when the brunette freed her hand from his and took off after Clara. Despite the urge to go after her, the Doctor ran down the opposite corridor, hoping that Ember's action didn't mean what he thought it meant...

* * *

"Why'd you come with me?" Clara asked Ember as they hid around a corner.

"I've seen this before, remember!" Ember tried hard not to snap, but her voice was still tense. "Take a guess!"

Clara was about to reply when she heard heavy footsteps from around the corner. She recalled the Doctor's advice on keep her mind clear and tried to do it, but at the sound of the Teller's heavy breaths she panicked and tried to run, barely managing to get past the creature before it stopped her by grabbing her mind, making her cry out. "Argh!"

"No!"

The Teller turned one eye to look behind it, the other still on Clara. Ember had come out from around the corner, trembling in either fear or anger. Her silver eyes locked on the one looking at her. "She is not guilty! You _will_ let her go!"

A moment passed, and Clara felt the Teller release her. She turned around and gasped as she saw the Teller had now turned to face Ember and look at her with both eyes.

"You know this isn't right, but I'm aware that you're not doing this of your own will." Ember continued, wincing when she felt the Teller prod at her mind, harder than last time. She hoped the walls in her mind would hold. "I'm blocking the link. She can't hear us, and won't until I permit it."

Clara brought her hands to her mouth as she watched the silver in Ember's eyes expand, covering her sclera. When a tear slipped out, she feared the worst. "No, please, don't hurt her!"

"It's alright," Ember didn't need to be looking at her for Clara to know she was talking to her. "I'm feeling his pain. This isn't soup. Here's a hint; what would you do to protect the most precious thing to you?"

The Teller roared, though this time it sounded to Clara like one of pain. Ember winced again; she was sure she heard an audible _crack_ as one of the barriers in her mind was weakened. The Teller may understand that they weren't here to actually rob the bank, but it still had no choice but to do what it had to. She just had to hold out...

The Teller suddenly flinched and let out a whimper, though it didn't release her. Ember figured that through the cracks in her mental walls, it was seeing what she could do, even things she wasn't yet aware of. And like the Silence, like the Reapers... it was afraid of her.

_Crack!_

"Agh!" Ember dropped to one knee, holding her head. Another barrier had cracked under the pressure that the Teller was forcing on it, and she could feel the other ones straining. The Teller obviously knew that it had the advantage, and wanted to finish her off before she could fight back; She could already feel something behind the barriers begin to build up, as though her subconscious was getting ready to defend itself, and tried to hold it back. She _had_ to.

Suddenly, speakers crackled before Psi's voice came out of them. _"Come on! Come and find me!"_

Ember gasped as she was released from the Teller's hold on her, nearly falling over if it wasn't for Clara running to her side to help her. She watched with unsteady vision as the Teller turned to go after Psi, who she knew had downloaded facts about known criminals to make himself bait.

_"__Every thief and villain in one big cocktail. I am so guilty! Every famous burglar in history is hiding in this bank right now in one body. Come and feast!" _Psi continued. _"Clara? For what it's worth, and it might not be worth much, when your whole life flashes in front of you, you see people you love and people missing you. Well, I see no one."_

There was one final scream, and then the Teller's roar, and then silence.

"He used it, didn't he?" Clara asked after a moment, her voice thick with suppressed tears.

"He had to," Ember replied as she shakily stood up. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes had returned to normal. "But he didn't die in vain. Come on, we need to meet the Doctor back at the vault."

They moved as fast as they could back down the corridor, and were able to reach the vault just as the Doctor did. The Time Lord took one look at them before rushing to Ember's side. "What happened?"

"The Teller got me, but she made it go to her instead," Clara said quickly, knowing that Ember wouldn't have let her otherwise. "It didn't kill her, but it still hurt her."

The Doctor looked at Ember in shock for a moment before he moved to place his fingers on her temples. "Let me see-"

"No," Ember surprised him by pulling her head away from his hands. "You told me not to let you until this is over..."

"Why?"

"Because you'd see too much. And there's no time: look at the vault."

The computer attached to the vault had been counting down, and it was only now that they registered it._ "__Failed."_ They all looked at it as the lights were now all green bar one. _"Vault unlocking failed."_

Clara moved to the bars in front of the vault door, tugging fruitlessly at them. "It's not opening! Psi. He died for nothing."

"No, he didn't." Ember said even as the Doctor went to the computer alcove and tried using his Sonic on it.

"Multiple locks. Last one still in place." He opened up a panel and checked again. "Atomic seal. Unbreakable, even for me. The Architect would know that. He wouldn't bring us all this way for nothing."

"And get two people killed." Clara said, her distaste evident.

"Exactly. There must be some logic."

"Some logic?"

"Come on, Architect. What else have you got?"

Ember winced as a slight throb of pain went through her head before she spoke. "He's got a trump card."

For a moment the Doctor didn't get what she meant, but then they heard a rumbling sound outside; thunder. "A storm. The storm's tripping the system. That's what he's got, a storm."

"How would he know when a storm would hit?" Clara asked.

The Doctor laughed, something that was not often seen on this version of him. "Of course! Stupid, stupid Doctor. Of course, of course!"

"Of course, what?"

"Whoever planned all this, they're in the future. This isn't just a bank heist, it's a time travel heist! We've been sent back in time to the exact moment of the storm, to be in exactly the right place when it hits, because that's the only time the bank is vulnerable."

_"Vault unlocked."_ The final red light turned green and the vault door swung open slowly. _"Vault unlocked."_

"The bank is now open. Come on."

The three of them stepped into the vault, finding it to be lined with safety deposit boxes.

Ember grabbed the Doctor's arm not just to get his attention, but to steady herself. "Doctor, that isn't an ordinary storm. It's a solar storm."

"Ah, that explains why we're not here in the Tardis."

Clara looked at them. "Sorry, what?"

"The solar disruption would have made navigation impossible. The one time the bank is vulnerable is the one time we can't just land."

"Doctor? The code. The code that was in the last case. Look." She held out the printed cards she'd been looking at earlier. "Tech."

"Technology. 251. Find it."

The three of them split up, though Ember was the slowest since her head was still hurting, albeit less so as time went by. Clara was the one who found the section they were looking for, and called them over to her. Being the tallest, the Doctor was able to reach the right deposit box and find a case inside it. Inside the case was what looked like a fat hypodermic syringe with a blue light inside.

"It's a neophyte circuit." The Doctor said as they looked at it. "I've only ever seen one once before. It can reboot any system, replace any lost data."

Clara's face dawned in realisation. "Psi. That's what he came for, his reward."

"So what did Saibra come for?" They followed the next card that said 'ORG 339', and inside that deposit box was a small glass bottle containing an orange liquid. "Gene suppressant."

"She wanted to be normal."

"Everyone has a weakness. So the big question is this. What did we come for?"

Clara looked at the last card. "PV?"

"Private vault. Karabraxos's own fortune?" The Doctor looked at Ember, who shrugged, and then he moved to go around the rack of boxes...

Only to nearly crash into the Teller.

* * *

The Doctor and Clara were surprised when their brains weren't turned to soup in the spot, but them and Ember were instead taken to Delphox's office, where she was sat at her desk and looking at the two items they'd taken from the vault. The trio were handcuffed and stood before her while two armoured guards - one a bald man with his helmet off and the other with his helmet on - stood behind them with the Teller.

"Intruders are most welcome." Delphox said as she stood from her desk and walked to where several cctv cameras were, displaying the cages below where they kept the victims of the Teller. "They remind us that the bank is impregnable. It's good for morale to have a few of you scattered about the place, preferably on view. Are you ready for _your_ close-up? If you're thinking of ways to escape, the Teller will know before you've even made a move. You'll never be bothered by all that thinking again."

"And who are you to decide that?" Ember said, despite the Doctor trying to hush her. "Who are you to decide who gets to keep their thoughts?"

Delphox looked at her. "Well, anyone who tries to rob this bank has to suffer the consequences. But you... the Teller seemed to have trouble with you earlier. Couldn't seem to get through to your secrets. Perhaps we should let it have another go at you."

"Touch me or my friends and the storm will be the least of your problems."

The Doctor put his hand on Ember's shoulder to stop her from doing something she'd regret. "What a useful species, the Teller."

"Last of its kind, and we've signed an exclusive deal." Delphox said, seemingly nonchalant about it or Ember's thinly veiled threat.

"Must be noisy inside its head. Painful to listen to so much chatter, so many secrets. Must drive it wild. How can you force it to obey?"

"Oh, everything has a price tag, I think you'll find."

Ember scoffed. "What would you do for the one thing that's most precious to you?"

There was another clap of thunder from outside, and Delphox seemed to hesitate. "The storm's getting worse. The customers are leaving. Director Karabraxos will be... concerned. Our jobs will be on the line."

The Doctor caught the hesitation easily. "You're scared."

"Oh, I'm terrified. I have the disadvantage of knowing Karabraxos... personally."

"If you don't like your boss, why stay?"

"My face fits. Now if you'll excuse me, I must take the Teller to its hibernation. You two, dispose of our guests."

She led the Teller out of the room, the doors closing behind them, the guards pushed the trio up against the far wall.

"Don't do this." The Doctor said, speaking to the man without the helmet. "I'm having a very bad day, and I do not want to be pushed around."

"You're wrong." The guard said.

The Doctor blinked. "Wrong?"

"It's not that bad a day. And you're being very slow."

The Doctor glanced at Ember, who was smiling knowingly as the other guard removed her handcuffs. "Why are you undoing her handcuffs?"

The man without the helmet on suddenly changed, becoming a shorter, dark skinned woman that they recognised. "Saibra?"

"It looked like death." The other guard said before removing his helmet, revealing himself to be Psi. "It was actually a teleporter."

"Oh, my God!" Clara gasped as she hugged him.

"Good, eh? You think we're dead, so the Teller thinks we're dead, and we play the creature at his own mind games."

"No, no. Wait, wait, wait, wait. What? Sorry, sorry, what?" The Doctor was still a bit dumbstruck. "You, you, you're, you're alive?"

"Told you," Ember said, grinning at Clara. "I kept saying he didn't. You assumed I meant 'he didn't die for nothing', when it was actually just 'he didn't die'. At all. Zip."

"Yeah, we're alive." Saibra chuckled. "Look at us. We're all alive."

"No, no, no, no. Not dead." The Doctor said. "Alive."

Psi looked at him. "There's an escape ship in orbit. Takes you right there. Oh, and there's this big blue box. Is that yours?"

Clara discreetly pumped a fist in glee as the Doctor nodded. "Well, this is good, I suppose. You'll be able to resume the mission." He grabbed the bottle off the desk and held it out to Saibra. "Gene suppressant. Antidote for your condition." He then grabbed the syringe and handed it to Psi. "Memory giver. All your yesterdays. There you go. Job done, paid in full. Clever old Architect."

"Very clever." Saibra agreed.

"I still hate him."

"Me too."

"How were you paid?" Psi asked.

"I don't know. There's something in the private vault." The Doctor looked at Ember. "Hint?"

Ember met his gaze evenly. "Satisfaction. A happy ending. But we need to be quick."

* * *

The group returned to the basement, where they found a map showing where the Private Vault was located.

"What's that?" The Doctor asked, pointing to what looked like tubing.

"Supply line." Psi said. "It's the only oxygen down to the private vault. There's another one for water, for basic life support."

Clara looked puzzled. "What, for a private vault?"

"Someone likes to hang out with their wealth." The Doctor quipped as he studied the layout again and figured out a way to get to the vault via more grills.

* * *

A minimal amount of time later, the five 'robbers' opened a grill that led them to a huge room that had treasures displayed throughout, including items from Earth, like a Buddha statue and a replica of Tutankhamen's golden coffin. Classical music was playing. In the centre was a large oak desk and a high-backed chair that faced away from them.

**"**Director Karabraxos?" The Doctor called. "Excuse us, but we've come to rob you. So if you want to put your hands above your head, or..."

The chair spun round slowly, revealing a woman that looked exactly like Delphox was sat in it, her hands up. Same glasses; the only difference was her hairstyle, which was in curled locks, and her clothes, which were black and gold with fur lining.

"Or?" She said. "You didn't bring any weapons. That's a bit of an oversight." She reached over and pressed a button on an intercom. "Security, Karabraxos here."

"You're Karabraxos?"

The woman held up a finger. "One moment."

Delphox appeared on a screen, though the group couldn't see it from where they were. _"Director Karabraxos, is there a problem?"_

"Intruders in the private vault. Send me the Teller. I want to find out how they got in, and then I want to wipe their memories."

The Doctor suddenly realised the connection. "She's a clone."

"It's the only way to control my own security. I have a clone in every facility." Karabraxos said with a shrug before she spoke to her clone again. "Get on it right away."

_"Yes, of course."_

"And then hand in your credentials. You're fired, with immediate effect."

Delphox sounded surprised. _"But please, I've been in your service-"_

"Ever since the last one let me down and I was forced to kill it. I can't quite believe that you're putting me through this again." Karabraxos ended the call and looked at her guests. "My clone. And yet she doesn't even protest. Pale imitation, really. Ha! I should sue."

"You're killing her?" Clara asked, shocked. "You just said-"

"Fired? I put all of the used clones into the incinerator. Can't have too many of moi scattered around."

Psi looked disturbed. "Sorry, you don't get on with your own clone?"

"Think about it," Ember said. "Would you want to be faced with yourself?"

"She hates her own clones. She burns her own clones. Frankly, you're a career break for the right therapist." The Doctor said, only to then look around with wide eyes as a thought struck him. "Shut up. Everybody, just, just shut up..."

Krabraxos looked entertained. "And what is this display now, as amusing as you are?"

"Shut up! Just shut up, shut up, shut up, shutetty up up up! What... what did you say? What did you say?" The Doctor walked over to Saibra. "What did you say about your own eyes? De-shut up. Say it again."

"How can you trust someone if they look back at you out of your own eyes?" Saibra said, remembering what they'd talked about earlier.

"I know one thing about the Architect. What is it that I know about the Architect? I know one thing. Something that I've known from the very start!"

Clara looked lost. "What?"

"I hate him! He's overbearing, he's manipulative, he likes to think that he's very clever. I hate him! Clara, don't you see?" The Doctor ran over to a gong and struck it, sending an apologetic look at Ember when she flinched. "I hate the Architect!"

"The one person you hate the most," the brunette added, rubbing her left temple.

"What in the name of sanity is going on in this room now?" Karabraxos exclaimed.

The Doctor gave her a flat look as he ran over to her desk to grab paper and a pen. "We're getting sanity judgment from the self-burner. Do you mind if I borrow a little bit of paper?"

The director was almost beside herself in confusion. "And what are you doing now?"

"I'm giving you my telephone number."

"Why?"

"Well, I thought you might like to call me someday." The Doctor folded the paper and wrote on the front as well before placing it on the desk, stumping the director more as she read the words: 'I Am A Time Traveller'. "Sorry, I thought we were getting along famously. Am I, like, misreading the signals or something?" The whole room shook as the thunder could be heard louder despite how far below ground they were. "Oh, that was a big one, wasn't it? I think that your bank is about to close for good, Karabraxos. If I was you, I'd get going. Don't mind us, we'll just stay here and burn."

An alarm sounded as the room shook again. Karabraxos apparently understood how serious the situation was, because she was quick to begin packing. She couldn't take everything with her, but she still grabbed the smaller items that she could fit into a bag. Without her knowledge, Ember had gone to the desk, plucked up the paper the Doctor had written on and slipped it into the bag as well.

"Hard to know what to take." The Doctor mused as he and the others watched the woman pack. "The greatest treasures of the universe in just one suitcase."

"Doctor, what's the plan?" Clara asked. "Is there a plan?"

"We can use the shredders and get us back to the ship." Saibra suggested.

The Doctor looked at her. "They're not shredders, they're teleports, and that's not the most interesting thing about them."

"So what is?"

"There are seven of them left." The Doctor saw Karabraxos go to the elevator on the far side of the room. "Hey! Give me a call some time."

Karabraxos gave him a flat look as the doors opened behind her. "You'll be dead."

"Yeah, you'll be old. We'll get on famously. You'll be old and full of regret for the things that you can't change."

The woman didn't seem to have an answer for that, so she stepped back into the lift, spotting the Doctor as he made the universal gesture of 'call me' before the doors closed.

"Doctor, what the hell is going on?" Psi asked.

Clara stumbled slightly as the room shook again. "Are you remembering?"

"No, not a thing. But I'm understanding." The Doctor glanced at Ember, who was watching the elevator.

"What? What is it? What are you understanding?"

"I'm not sure yet. I need my memory back. And I think there's only one way to do that."

"Which would be?"

"Soup."

"...Soup?"

Ding! The lift doors opened to reveal none other than the Teller.

"Hello, big man." The Doctor said, moving to stand in front of the alien. "Peckish?"

The Teller grabbed hold of his mind, making him fall to his knees as Ember grabbed Clara to stop her from interfering. "Doctor!"

"No, no. Let it take me! Let it read me. It's the only way!" The Doctor said.

"It will kill you!"

Ember shook her head as she kept her eyes on the Teller, who had one eye slightly turned to look at her. "No, it won't. It knows better."

"What have I told you about pessimism?" The Doctor said before he focused on the Teller. "That's it, that's it. There are so many memories in here. Feast on them. Tuck in. Big scarf, bow tie, bit embarrassing. What do you think of the new look? I was hoping for minimalism, but I think I came up with magician. In the last few days, there's been a block. Can you see the block? Tell me why I'm here. Show me why I'm here. Show me!"

The Teller found the block and removed it, allowing memories to flow back...

_The Doctor replaced the receiver after hearing an elderly Karabraxos request his help. "It's a little detour. It's a, it's a job, I've got to do it for someone. Come on."_

_Clara looked puzzled as the Doctor urged her into the Tardis, Ember moving aside to let them in. "What are we doing?"_

_**"**We need to rob a bank."_

_"What?"_

_"Clara, I need worms."_

_He set the time rotor going and used the monitor to scroll through various faces, including Psi, Saibra, and the white-haired man Saibra imitated. Said man was next seen shaking his hand and transferring skin cells to the device that was in the first case._

_Next he was using the Tardis to alter a recording of his voice so that it sounded comepletely unrecognisable, only satisfied when Ember gave her approval._

_After recruiting Psi and Saibra, promising their deepest wish as a reward, he was getting the last bits set up when Ember approached him._

_"I've had a vision," was all she said to get him to stop what he was doing to give her his full attention. "The Teller gets Clara, and Psi will download recorded criminals to draw it to him instead. But in my vision, he takes too long. Clara suffers a fate worse than death."_

_"So what do you suggest?"_

_"I can't forget, so I'll be an easier target. But it can't see everything in my head." Ember looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've met Craig, so I know you've helped with some of my mental walls. Can you make them stronger?"_

_The Doctor took a moment before he replied. "I can put up some temporary barriers. It'll help you shield your memories from the Teller, but I'm not sure how long they'll last. I can't put up permanent barriers, or your subconscious will start wearing them down before you meet the Teller."_

_"I trust you. Do it."_

_Later, he would then place the cases where they would be found later, and then revealed himself to be the shadow in the hood._

The Teller released the Doctor once it saw everything. The Time Lord took a breath as he slowly stood up. "Did you see? Why we came? Why we're here? We had to delete our own memories, otherwise you'd have known, and then she'd have known, because you were mentally linked. But she's gone now. They've all gone. They have no power over you now. You can do exactly what you want to do now. Exactly what you've always wanted to do."

The Teller turned to look at Ember for a moment, seeing her nod, and then it turned to look at a small lock that was in the wall.

Psi's eyes widened as the lock began to spin. "It knows the combination."

"Of course it does. It was linked to Karabraxos."

"What exactly are we doing here?" Clara asked. "That thing killed people!"

"It had to," Ember said. "What have I been asking this whole time?"

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "So might you do, to protect everything you loved." The section of wall moved away, revealing it to be a gigantic safe. Inside, to the surprise of the humans, was another Teller, sat against the wall. It wailed as it saw them. "There she is. Not the last of its species. The last two."

Psi moved to go into the safe to unchain the alien, only to flinch back with a grunt of pain and a hand to his head. "Ow! She won't let me near her."

"It's okay, it's okay. It's all right." The Doctor tried to approach, only to get the same pain in his head, but he also got an image. "Fire... She wants the Fire. Ember, she wants you."

Surprised, Ember slowly walked to the safe. She was expecting to feel pain like the others, but instead she received a soft image in her mind; of fire and a relieving warmth. The alien keened softly at her. "Why me?"

More images flooded her mind, but in gentle waves so it wouldn't overwhelm her. The aliens getting caught, separated, enchained. One kept in the small box, the other forced to commit such acts to protect the bank. The pain and loss they felt. Then there was her; the Teller sensing her presence from the start but somehow knowing she meant no harm, the fear it felt when it saw through the cracks in her barriers, seeing what she was capable of... things that the alien had heard stories about: The Great Fire. The relief of finally finding someone who could save them and was willing to do it...

So many images, and yet barely a second passed. Ember opened her eyes, letting two tears fall, and made quick work of unchaining the alien, helping it to its feet and out of the safe.

"Exit strategy." Saibra said. "We've got seven shredders."

"Exactly. This wasn't a bank heist. It never was. It was rescue mission for a whole species. Flesh and blood, the last currency." The Doctor said. The room shook and the lights flickered. "Time to go home. What do you think of that, big man?"

The Teller gave a loud, triumphant roar.

* * *

After escaping the bank and getting back into the Tardis, the Doctor was quick to take them to a planet that best suited the two aliens.

"So much mental traffic in the universe." The Doctor said as he, Clara and Ember watched the two aliens, now free of the chains and jumpsuits, walk away from them. "Solitude is the only peace."

Ember paused when the aliens stopped, their eyestalks turning to look directly at her, and she felt them send her an image: flames that consumed everything in their path, fierce winds pulling trees out of the ground, the very earth splitting open, waters raging wildly... And for the first time, the images came with words from the Teller.

_"Beware of your soul's full potential... Mother of Elements..."_

"Ember?"

The brunette shook her head to clear it and looked at the Doctor, who was watching her with a concerned frown on his face. "I'm ok. They were just saying thanks."

The Doctor clearly didn't believe her, but he let it go as he led the ladies back into the Tardis.

* * *

A short time later, the five robbers were enjoying Chinese takeout and sharing stories.

"Cesare Borgia, mucho scary hombre, says to me, what do you think of our Leaning Tower of Pisa? I say," the Doctor was saying, and then leaned sideways himself. "...it looks okay to me."

The group laughed, Ember nearly choking on her noodles.

* * *

"If you ever need help with another bank heist..." Psi said. He shook the Doctor's hand and then hugged Clara.

"Yeah, it's not really his area." Clara said. She didn't see Ember's knowing smirk and the Doctor send Psi the 'call me' sign before the augmented human left.

* * *

Saibra hugged the Doctor, grinning when she retained her normal form. "See? I don't have your face now."

"Yeah. I kind of miss that."

"Oh, shut up." Saibra hugged Ember and left, missing how the Doctor rubbed his arm slightly.

* * *

Finally, the Doctor returned Clara to her flat. "7.12, local time, as promised. Go and enjoy yourself. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"It's a date." Clara said as she put her jacket on, coming down the steps to floor level, when a thought struck her. "You know, I've just realised. I'm going out for another meal now..."

"Don't worry. Calories consumed on the Tardis have no lasting effect."

"What? Are you kidding?"

"Of course I'm kidding. It's a time machine, not a miracle worker." The Doctor said. "Bye, bye."

"See you. Don't rob any banks..."

The Doctor noticed her trail off. "Don't rob any banks what?"

"Without me."

"Course not, boss."

Ckara smiled, waving to Ember before she left the Tardis, leaving the Time Lords alone.

"Robbing a bank. Robbing a whole bank. Beat that for a date." The Doctor turned to look at Ember as she went up the steps to sit in one of the reading chairs. "So, are you going to tell me the truth now?"

Ember tilted her head as she looked down at him. "Um, the truth?"

"Yes, the truth. The opposite of lying. What did the Tellers show you? I saw them look at you before they left."

There was another pause, and then Ember sighed. "They showed me fire, and wind, and earthquakes and tidal waves. Then... they called me by a name I haven't heard before."

"... and that name is?"

"... Mother of Elements." Ember saw that the Doctor didn't seem to be surprised by the name. "You've heard it before."

The Doctor sighed. "That one and dozens of others."

Ember leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes. "You told me once, back when my powers first started, that fire isn't the only thing I can control, but the easiest. I'm guessing that this name means I can control other elements?"

There was another pause, and then Ember felt the Doctor touch her shoulder, making her open her eyes to look at him. "May I see those barriers I put in your mind?"

"Hmm, what's left of them," she nodded, allowing him to put two fingers on her temple and establish a mental connection, brushing against the barely-holding barriers that he'd put in place to help her protect her mind from the Teller. The Doctor carefully removed the barriers, though he had to retreat when something in Ember's subconscious rose up with the air of a cornered dog. In the physical world, Ember flinched as a slight pain flared. "It's okay. Just your subconscious trying to defend itself. Don't forget, it isn't a conscious part of your mind, and you were recently the target of a mental attack."

Ember flinched again as she tried to soothe the ache. "It's fine. The other barriers you helped strengthen are holding. I guess the Teller scraped a bit closer to the surface than I thought."

"I can put a bit more strength in the ones you have, if you want."

"I think that would be a good idea."

The Doctor nodded, gently brushing against her mind again, reinforcing the barriers that she'd had that he'd strengthened when they were sharing a room in Craig's flat. He had to pull back every now and again when he reached certain weak spots that triggered her subconscious to threaten to attack him in defence.

It was a slow progress, so by the time he'd finished, Ember had fallen asleep in the chair. With a soft smile, the Doctor grabbed a small pillow from the other chair and tucked it under her head so that she wouldn't get a cramp in her neck, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her eyes.

"You're doing so well, Ember." He murmured, brushing the backs of his fingers over her cheek. "Please, don't give up. When the time comes, I'll be there for you, just like you were there for me..."

* * *

And there we have it. Ember has learned another name about herself, and another clue as to what she can do.

Next Time: The time has come for Ember to face her deadliest foe yet. What surprises will they have in store for her?


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Asylum Of The Daleks

And here is the long awaited encounter! Enjoy!

* * *

When Ember jumped next, the first thing she saw was white. White walls, white ceiling, white floor. The room was circular, and when she turned around, she spotted Amy and Rory next to a small, rectangular window.

"Oh." She said. "White room... Apalapucia?"

Amy shook her head, making Ember notice that she had makeup on. Even her clothes were a bit more stylish, in a tv model way. "Not this time. Daleks that look like people. Or people that look like Daleks. Take your pick."

"People that look like...?" Ember began before she trailed off and her eyes widened. "Oh, no..."

Rory took one look at her expression, and his face fell "Ok, judging by your face, that's bad. So how much trouble are we in?"

A door that Ember hadn't noticed before slid upwards. The brunette prepared herself, but nothing could prepare her for the Dalek that entered.

Or rather, the immense feeling of _danger_ that rang in her head at the sight of it. Everything in her seemed to scream in warning, making her shiver.

"How much trouble, Mister Pond?" A familiar voice called before the Eleventh Doctor stepped into the room, followed by a second Dalek. "Out of ten? Eleven."

Ember blinked, getting confused as to why she was having such a strong reaction to the Daleks. She hadn't even met them in person until now, yet it felt like she wanted nothing more than to either get herself and her friends away from them or... destroy them...

The Doctor quickly noticed her and came forward to gather her into a hug, tucking her head under his chin to block her view of the Daleks. "It's alright... you're safe, and so are we..."

"I... didn't think I'd be this..." Scared? Angry? Threatened? She couldn't tell what she was feeling, so she put her arms around the Doctor's waist and closed her eyes, even if that feeling inside her made her want to watch the Daleks' every move. That was a thought: why did the two Daleks who were with them not even react to her being there? They had only brought Amy, Rory and the Doctor here; they shouldn't have known she was there, and thus should have been surprised to see her.

Unless... they _did_ know she was there. They must have had surveillance or scanners or something that told them as soon as she arrived. Perhaps that was it.

Before she could think on it further, the room shuddered before the ceiling opened up and the floor rose, bring them up to another area. Ember dared to open her eyes to look, and wished she hadn't.

They were now in the centre of a very big room, and all around them were Daleks. Thousands upon thousands of them, all ranges of sizes and colours surrounding them like they were on stage in a gigantic amphitheater. About ten feet away from them were several people who stood too stiffly to be normal, along with one big Dalek that was pure white and one Dalek that was in a clear case so its tentacles, single eye and large brain could be seen. Even the Tardis was parked nearby.

"Where are we?" Amy asked. "A spaceship, right?"

"You know how the countries on Earth have their own parliaments?" Ember said. "Well, this is the Dalek version. And it isn't just a country: it's a whole species."

The Doctor nodded. "Not just any spaceship. The Parliament of the Daleks. Be brave."

Amy at least had the sense to understand just how serious the situation was. "What do we do?"

"Make them remember you." The Doctor gently moved Ember away from him before he stepped forward. "Well, come on then. You've got me. What are you waiting for? At long last, it's Christmas! Here I am."

As he closed his eyes tight, expecting every Dalek to take a shot at him, Ember had to close her eyes as well. Even though she knew this wasn't the end, that thing inside her was practically screaming at her to stop the Daleks, to protect the Doctor.

"Save... us." The voice of the 'organic' Dalek made everyone look at it. "You will save us."

The Doctor opened his eyes to look at the Dalek. "I'll what?"

"You will save the Daleks."

"Save the Daleks!" The Daleks around them started chanting. "Save the Daleks! Save the Daleks! Save the Daleks! Save the Daleks! Save the Daleks! Save the Daleks!"

"Well..." The Doctor murmured. "This is new."

The Daleks chanted for a few more seconds before they were interrupted by one voice. One that silenced them, and surprised the humans and Time Lord.

"SHUT UP!!!"

Everyone looked at Ember, who was now clutching her head and shaking. She'd tried to block out the chanting, but it seemed to ring in her skull until she just had to yell at them to stop.

The Doctor quickly moved back to her side and pulled her into his arms again. "Ember, it's ok. We're ok."

"I'm sorry..." she said, her voice hoarse from the scream. "I just..."

"It's ok." The Doctor soothed. "I don't blame you, it's ok..."

Rory watched as the Doctor guided the trembling brunette with him as he himself moved around the space. "What's he doing?"

"He's chosen the most defendable area in the room, counted all the Daleks, counted all the exits, and now he's calculating the exact distance we're standing apart and starting to worry." Amy said, narrating the Time Lord. "Oh, and look at him frowning now. 'Something's wrong with Amy and Rory, and who's going to fix it?' And he straightens his bow tie."

"We have arrived." The white Dalek announced.

The Doctor didn't even glance at it, checking his watch instead. "Arrived where?"

"Doctor..."

"The Prime Minister will speak with you now." One of the 'human' Daleks - the female who had tricked the Doctor - said, putting her arm out to gesture.

"Do you remember who you were before they emptied you out and turned you into their puppet?" The Doctor asked.

"My memories are only reactivated if they are required to facilitate cover or disguise."

The Doctor looked pained. "Darla... You had a daughter."

"I know. I've read my file."

"That's all it is to you now, isn't it?" Ember said. The Doctor still hadn't let go of her, and she didn't want him to. "It's not even a memory anymore. It's just a bit of information in a file now."

The Doctor moved them away before the former human could answer, walking up the ramp to face the leader - or rather the Prime Minister - of the Daleks. He could feel Ember trembling against him, and he wasn't sure if it was out of fear or anger. "Well?"

"What do you know of the Dalek Asylum?" The PM asked.

"According to legend, you have a dumping ground. A planet where you lock up all the Daleks that go wrong. The battle-scarred, the insane, the ones even you can't control. It's never made any sense to me."

"Why not?"

"Because I thought you'd just kill them." The Doctor felt Ember shake her head against him.

"It is offensive to us to extinguish such divine hatred."

"Offensive?"

"Does it surprise you to know that Daleks have a concept of beauty?"

The Doctor looked disgusted as he moved right up to the glass separating the Dalek from the rest of the room. "I thought you'd run out of ways to make me sick. Hello again. You think hatred is beautiful..."

"Perhaps that is why we have never been able to kill you."

"No, it isn't." Ember said. She felt sick just looking at the Dalek, but she couldn't let that one slide. "It's because of your own weaknesses that you fail. And you'll keep failing."

The Dalek PM was quick to reply, though the words caught Ember by surprise. "If the Doctor is superior to us, than what does that make you?"

A hole opened in the middle of the floor, near Amy and Rory. The Doctor led Ember - stopping her from asking more questions - back down the ramp to look through it, to find a planet in view below them.

"The Asylum." Darla said, having joined them at the edge of the hole. "It occupies the entire planet, right to the core."

"How many Daleks are in there?" The Doctor asked.

"A count has not been made. Millions, certainly."

"All still alive?"

"It has to be assumed. The Asylum is fully automated. Supervision is not required."

"Armed?" Amy asked.

"The Daleks are always armed."

"What colour?" Everyone glanced at Rory, who at least had the grace to look sheepish. "I'm sorry, there weren't any good questions left."

"This signal is being received from the very heart of the Asylum." Darla said, ignoring the man.

To their puzzlement, music began to play around them. That was the last thing that they expected to hear from somewhere that housed Daleks. It sounded like a popular opera song.

"What is the noise?" The white Dalek spoke for the first time. "Explain. Explain!"

"Uh, it's me." The Doctor said, moving his hands as though he was playing an instrument.

Rory looked at him. "Sorry, what?"

"It's me, playing the triangle. Okay, I got buried in the mix. Carmen. Lovely show." He used the Sonic to check for himself. "Someone's transmitting this. Have you considered tracking back the signal and talking to them?"

If the Daleks had facial expressions, they would have looked puzzled. The Doctor went to a nearby panel and used his Sonic to do just as he'd suggested, keeping Ember close with one arm around her.

"He asked the Daleks," the Time Lord muttered to himself before he focused on the signal. "Hello? Hello? Carmen? Hello?"

_"Hello?"_ A woman's voice answered. Ember had to close her eyes; she sounded just like Clara.

"Come in. Come in. Come in, Carmen!"

_"Hello! Yes, yes, sorry. Do you read me?"_

The Doctor grinned, squeezing Ember. "Yes, reading you loud and clear. Identify yourself and report your status."

_"Hello. Are you real? Are you actually, properly, real?"_

"Yes, confirmed. Actually, properly, real."

_"Oswin Oswald, junior entertainment manager, starship Alaska. Current status, crashed and shipwrecked somewhere... not nice. Been here a year, rest of the crew missing. Provisions good but keen to move on."_

Ember bit her lip. It was hard to imagine that this person was simply a fragment of Clara Oswald.

"A year?" The Doctor said, puzzled. "Are you okay? Are you under attack?"

_"Some local lifeforms. Been keeping them out."_

"Do you know what those lifeforms are?"

_"I know a Dalek when I hear one, yeah."_

"What have you been doing on your own against the Daleks for a year?"

There was a pause, and then Oswald weakly replied _"...Making soufflés?"_

"Soufflés? Against the Daleks?" He laughed a bit before a thought struck him. "Where'd you get the milk?"

"You don't want to know," Ember said.

Before he could say more, the white Dalek cut in. "This conversation is irrelevant."

"No, it isn't." The Doctor said as the communication was cut off, walking up to the white Dalek. "Because a starline has crashed into your Asylum, and someone's got in. And if someone can get in, then everything can get out. A tsunami of insane Daleks. Even you don't want that."

"The Asylum must be cleansed." The white Dalek said, seeming to be in agreement.

"Then why is it still here? You've enough firepower on this ship to blast it out of the sky."

"The Asylum forcefield is impenetrable." Darla said.

"Turn it off."

"It can only be turned off from within the Asylum."

Ember rolled her eyes. "Well, congrats to the idiot who thought that was a good idea."

"A small taskforce could sneak through a forcefield. Send in a couple of Daleks... Oh." The Doctor suddenly realised the problem, and gave a sarcastic applaud. "Oh. Oh, that's good. That's brilliant. You're all too scared to go down there. Not one of you will go, so tell me, what do the Daleks do when they're too scared?"

"The Predators of the Daleks will be deployed." The white Dalek declared.

"You don't have a Predator," Ember was sure she felt his hold on her tighten for the breifest moment. "And even if you did, why would they turn off a forcefield for you?"

It was the Dalek PM who answered. "Because you will have no other means of escape."

"May I clarify?" Darla said. "The Predators are the Dalek's word for you two, though the full term for her is 'the Predator of the Flames'. You, Doctor, are simply the Predator."

The Doctor pointed to himself. "Me? Me?"

Ember wasn't sure what puzzled and bothered her more: that the Daleks considered her a predator, or that the Doctor seemed more surprised that he was in the same catagory than the fact that she had such a reputation among the Daleks. That meant that this wasn't the first time he'd heard it.

"You will need this." Darla unwittingly brought her out of her thoughts as two more humanoids appeared and put a thick wristband with a blue light on the wrist of her and the Doctor. "It will protect you from the nanocloud."

"The what?" The Doctor asked. "The nano what?"

"The gravity beam will convey you close to the source of the transmission. You must find a way to deactivate the forcefield from there."

"You're going to fire us at a planet? That's your plan? We get fired at a planet and expected to fix it."

"In fairness, that is slightly your M O," Rory pointed out.

"Don't be fair to the Daleks when they're firing us at a planet!" The Doctor said, only to get distracted as the two humans had wristbands put on them too. "What do you want with them?"

"It is known that the Predator of the Flames would appear in close proximity of the Doctor." The white Dalek said, making Ember pause. "And it is known that the Doctor requires companions."

"Oh, brilliant." Rory said sarcastically. "Good!"

"Don't worry." The Doctor said, though it wasn't clear who he was talking to; his companions or Ember. "We'll get through this, I promise. Don't be scared."

Amy gave him a look that could melt concrete. "Scared? Who's scared. Geronimo."

"Ha!"

Before anyone could say anything else, the four of them were shoved into the gravity beam by the humanoid Daleks.

"Wrong way up! Wrong way up!" Rory yelled, plummeting past the others head-first.

The beam split into three, and Ember was sure she would have been separated from them if it weren't for the Doctor holding her tight to him.

Then it all went black.

* * *

_"If you want one of us to do this for you, we require something in return..."_

_"What makes you think it will work?"_

_"... if it's successful, she will be the ultimate-"_

_**"...Ember..."**_

_"You won't remember meeting me, but this is not the end..."_

_**"Ember..."**_

_"We will be at war. She can help us turn the tide..."_

_"Will you become their predator?"_

_"Extermina-aaarrrrrggghh!"_

_**"Ember!"**_

* * *

"Ember, wake up!"

The brunette woke to cold snow on her face and the Doctor leaning over her, the concern on his face quickly changing to relief as her sight focused.

"Thank goodness." He said. "Are you alright?"

Ember nodded, about to speak when a Dalek eyepiece rose up from the snow next to them like a parascope. Suddenly, the music they'd heard before blasted from it for a few seconds before it was cut off.

_"Sorry, sorry."_ Oswin's voice replaced the music. _"Pressed the wrong switch."_

The Doctor looked at the eyepiece. "Soufflé girl?"

_"You can always call me Oswin, seeing as that's my name. You okay?"_

"How are you doing that, eh? This is Dalek technology."

_"It's very easy to hack."_

"No, it isn't. Where are you?"

_"The ship broke up when it hit. Somewhere underground, I think. You coming to get me?"_

The Doctor was just scanning the eyepiece when they heard Amy calling for them. The eyepiece began to spark. "Hey! Oi! Soufflé girl! Come back!"

"Doctor!" Amy called. She reached them as another man followed; a black man wearing a thick white coat and hood.

"Amy!" The Doctor said. "Hey, where's Rory?"

"There was another beam." The man - Harvey - said, pointing. "There. Over there. Are you the rescue team?"

The Doctor ignored him, pulling Amy and Ember with him as he took off. They soon reached where the beam had dropped Rory: a huge hole in the ground that went further than they could see.

"Rory?" Amy called as they knelt at the hole. "Rory! Rory!"

Ember grabbed her arm. "He's fine, I promise."

"We need rope," The Doctor said.

Harvey nodded. "I think we've got some. Come on!"

He took off, Amy quick to follow. Ember grabbed the Doctor's arm before he could move. "Here's a hint; things aren't always as they appear, and some things sound too good to be true."

The Doctor smiled and nodded to show he'd taken note, grabbing her hand and leading her to catch up with Amy and Harvey. The four of them didn't walk for too long before they reached a big, metal hatch of something buried in the snow.

"We came down two days ago." Harvey said, moving to open the hatch as the Doctor used his foot to brush away the snow to reveal the word ALASKA on the metal. "There's twelve of our escape pods. I don't know what happened to them."

"Alaska?" Amy read out. "That's the same ship as soufflé girl."

"Yeah," The Doctor said as Harvey got the hatch open: he'd noticed the snow that was covering it. "Except she's been here a year."

They followed the man down a ladder into what looked like the main portion of the escape pod, where four people in hooded coats identical to Harvey's were sitting with their backs to them.

"We should have some climbing rope long enough for that hole." Harvey was saying as he moved to a small cupboard to look.

The Doctor noticed that the other people were oddly still and quiet. "Won't you introduce us to your crew?"

"Ah, yes, sorry. Guys, this is the Doctor, Ember and Amy." There was no response, making him turn his full attention on the crew. "Guys?"

The Doctor moved forward and touched the shoulder of the nearest one, only for it to lean over, revealing a desiccated corpse. He quickly scanned it with his Sonic, pulling down the hood. "They're dead. All of them."

"That's not possible." Harvey said, staring at his deceased friends in shock. "I just spoke to them. Two hours ago. We were doing engine repairs."

"You're sure about that, are you?" The Doctor pulled down the hoods of the other crew members, revealing that each one was a corpse. "Because I'd say they've all been dead for a very long time."

"But they can't have been..."

Amy moved to look at the closest one. "Well, they didn't get in this state in two hours."

Harvey suddenly looked calm. "No, of course. Stupid me..."

"Of course what?"

"I died outside, and the cold preserved my body." He said calmly as his forehead began to bulge. "I forgot about dying..."

The Doctor took one look at the Dalek eyestalk that was coming out of the man's forehead and reached behind him for the fire extinguisher that hung on the wall, spraying the former human and making him stumble back. "Amy, the door!"

Amy opened the door next to the ladder before she and Ember helped push the man through it. "Come on, come on!" When he was clear, they closed the door and set it to lockdown. "Explain! That's what you're good at. How'd he get all Daleked?"

"Because he wasn't wearing one of these." The Doctor held up his wrist to show them the wristband. "Oh, ho, ho. That's clever. The nanocloud. Microorganisms that automatically process any organic matter, living or dead, into a Dalek puppet."

Ember suddenly had a thought: there was another place that had a similar sort of defence mechanism, but she couldn't quite remember where. "Remind you of somewhere?"

"Anything attacks this place, it automatically becomes part of the on-site security."

"Living or dead?" Amy said, realisation blooming on her face.

"These wristbands protect us. The only thing stopping us going exactly the way he did-"

"Doctor, shut up! Living or dead?"

"Yes, exactly! Living or, or..." the Doctor trailed off as it finally clicked. He and Amy turned to look at the corpses, to find that they were starting to move as eyestalks grew out of their heads. "Dead. Oh dear."

The corpses were somewhat clumsy, so it was easy for them to be pushed or kicked away as the Doctor led them to another door, this one leading to the cockpit. Just as they were going through, the nearest corpse was able to grab Amy by the arm, though the Doctor and Ember were able to free her before they closed and locked the door. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief as they leaned against the door.

"Is it bad that I've really missed this?" Amy said after a moment.

"Yes." The Doctor replied.

"It's good."

"I know."

Ember was about to comment when Oswald's voice came up over the comms in front of them. _"__Unauthorised personnel may not enter the cockpit."_

"Shut up." The Doctor snapped as he moved forward to scan the console.

_"Oh, Mister Grumpy. Bad combo. No sense of humour in that chin."_

Amy blinked. "Is that her again, soufflé girl?"

"Yeah, she..." the Doctor finally registered the insult. "Oi, what is wrong with my chin?"

_"Careful, dear. You'll put someone's eye out."_ They could almost hear the smile in her voice. _"__Scanning you... You're in another of the escape pods from the Alaska, right? Same ship I was on..."_

"How can you hack into everything? It should be impossible. You're in a crashed ship!"

_"Long story. Is there a word for total screaming genius that sounds modest and a tiny bit sexy?"_

The Doctor smirked. "Doctor. You call me the Doctor. And to go one better, this is Ember."

_"See what you did there."_ There was a beep from somewhere. _"Check the floor. I'm picking up a breach at floor level. There could be a way out. See you later."_

The Doctor scanned around the floor before he found it. "Ah ha! Hatch. Looks like it's been used already and they've tried to block it off behind them."

"Can't imagine why." Amy retorted.

"The lower part of the pod is buried, so this must go straight down to the Asylum."

"Where Rory is." Amy looked at Ember. "And you're sure he's safe?"

Ember shrugged. "Safe as anyone can be when they're on a planet full to the brim with insane Daleks that the sane ones want to blow up as soon as they're able. But yes, he's ok. Soufflé girl is helping him."

"Speaking of Rory," the Doctor said, "is there anything you want to tell me?"

Amy gave him a look. "Are we going to do this now?"

"What happened?"

"Oh, stuff. You know. We split up. What can you do?"

The Doctor looked at her. "What can I do?"

"Nothing. It's not one of those things you can fix like you fix your bowtie." Amy rolled her eyes at him. "Don't give me those big wet eyes, Raggedy Man. It's life. Just life. That thing that goes on when you're not there."

The Doctor hesitated for a moment before he let it go and pulled open the hatch. Beyond it was a shaft that led down, with a flexible ladder attached to the edge of the hatch.

"Okay, so somebody else got out this way, then."

"Yeah, let's go and find them." The Doctor looked up by chance and caught sight of something. "Oh, hello, hello, hello. What are they up to?"

He got up and went to the door they'd just come through, or rather the small screen that was next to it. On the screen were the corpse-Daleks, one of them waving something at the camera.

Amy followed him, trying to see what the corpse was waving. "What's that?"

"One of these." The Doctor gestured to his wristband. "But where did they get it?"

Ember nudged Amy. "Who did they grab before we got in here?"

Amy looked at her wrist, dread filling her as it was revealed to be bare. "Doctor, they got it from me."

"Oh, Amy..." The Doctor murmured as he looked for himself.

"Doctor, what's going to happen to me?" Amy asked. "Seriously. Tell me what."

"There's four big clues banging on the door right now." Ember said, looking at the monitor where the corpses were almost taunting with their prize. "Maybe you should take mine..."

The Doctor put his hand over hers as she made to unclasp the band, stopping her. "Too risky. With what you are, you'll either become the strongest defence system they'll ever have or react like a bomb."

Amy nodded as she gently pushed Ember's hand away from her wrist. "It's fine. We might need your bomb imitation later."

"But-" Just as she was about to speak, her head throbbed and her vision went white for a moment...

_"I'm not looking for a countermand, dear." The Doctor was saying to a Dalek as he used his Sonic on it's opened casing. "I'm looking for reverse."_

_The rusty Dalek began to go backwards, despite its attempts to stop. "Forward, forward!"_

_It shot back into a chamber that had several Daleks in it, but just as it was about to hit one of them, it stopped._

_"Self-destruct reinitiated." It said, now shooting forwards, out of the chamber and toward its intended targets._

_Amy and the Doctor were now trapped and at its mercy, which it did not give as it exploded..._

Ember gasped like she hadn't been breathing for hours, nearly falling over before the Doctor caught her. "Ember! What did you see?"

"One tries to blow up..." she murmured between gasps. "No other weapons left..."

Amy took the brunette from the Doctor so he could go down the shaft a bit and then take her back. "A vision?"

"Must be. Better watch out for exploding Daleks," the Doctor said as he helped steady Ember as they climbed down.

Things were quiet for a while as they climbed, at least from Amy's point of view. So she spoke. "So tell me, what's going to happen to me? And don't lie. Because I know when you're lying to me and I will definitely fall on you."

"The air all around is full of micro-machines. Robots the size of molecules. Nanogenes." The Doctor helped Ember off the ladder when they reached the bottom before turning to help Amy. "Now that you're unprotected, you're being re-written."

"So, what happens? I get one of those things sticking out of my head?"

"Physical changes come later."

"What comes first? How does it start?"

"With your mind. Your feelings, your memories, and I'm sorry but it's started already."

Amy blinked as she followed the Time Lords. "How do you know?"

"Because we've had this conversation four times."

"Okay, scared now..."

"Hang on to scared." The Doctor held her by the arms before hugging her. "Scared isn't Dalek."

Ember bit her lip before she spoke, something that had been nagging at her for a while now unwilling to let her think about anything else. "Doctor, I have to ask... the Daleks called me the Predator of the Flames. What did they mean?"

The Doctor hesitated before he replied. "From my point of view, you've met the Daleks many times. And if they fear me, they're downright terrified of you because of what you can do... and what you've done to them."

"What could I have done that makes them more scared of me than they are of you? This is the first time I've met them."

The Doctor immediately faltered when he heard the last bit, turning to face her. "_This_ is the first time? But I thought you'd met them in... wait, of course not, I'd forgotten, the makeup! Of course I wouldn't know..."

"Wouldn't know what?" Ember asked. "Doctor, you've been asking me for ages if I'd met the Daleks, and now it looks like you guessed wrong on something. Why have you been asking me?"

"Spoilers."

Ember rolled her eyes as they reached a door. "I'm really beginning to hate that word."

The door before them opened, and it was too dark to see anything, but they could hear Daleks shouting from somewhere. The Doctor seemed to sniff at it for a moment before he backed them out and closed the door.

"Keep a look out. Don't open this door." The Doctor said to Amy before he moved to check out another corridor, holding Ember's hand to keep her with him. "Oswin! Oswin, can you hear me?"

_"Hello, the chin."_ Oswin replied._ "I have visual on you."_

That made the Doctor pause, Ember's earlier hints coming back to him. "Why don't I have a visual on you? Why can't I ever see you?"

_"Limited power, bad hair, take your pick. There's a door to your left. Open it."_ The Doctor did so, revealing a computer screen._ "I'm going to send you a map to that screen. I put your little friend somewhere safe. I can get you to him."_

"Rory. You found Rory?"

_"I call him Nina. Personal thing. Hush now."_

There was a few minutes as what looked like a floor plan appeared on the screen. The Doctor waited until he couldn't any more and spoke, glancing out at the tunnel. "How many Daleks directly ahead of me right now?"

_"Ten, twenty... Hard to say. Some of them are catatonic but they do have firepower."_

"How do I get past them?" The Doctor mused before he realised that the door he'd left Amy at was now open. "Amy!"

"Things are not as they appear!" Ember reminded him as they ran back to the door. Amy was in the centre of the chamber within, looking at the Daleks around her without fear.

"Shush." She said when she saw the Time Lords. "It's okay, it's just people in here. It's just people..."

"Amy, it's the nanocloud, it's altering your perception. Look again. Look again. Those aren't people." The Doctor knew when she saw the real thing because her eyes widened. "Amy, come out. Take my hand. Run! Run!"

He pulled the two girls with him as he ran back the way they'd come, but when they reached the ladder, they quickly noticed that it was moving; the corpses they'd left behind had gotten through the door and were clumsily coming down.

"Look, they're coming down!"

"Uh, oh yes, they are." The Doctor said as they heard a Dalek yell "Intruder!" In their direction "Run!"

"Intruder!"

The Doctor stopped and pulled Amy and Ember into the little room that the computer screen was in, attempting to hide from the Dalek that was pursueing them. Ember squirmed out almost immediately: she did not want to be squished up against the Doctor again - not after her conversations with various people.

"Ember, come back!" The Doctor tried to grab her but missed as she stepped back.

"It's fine," she said as the Dalek reached them, only to stop in front of her. "See? Old batteries don't work so well, do they?"

The Doctor slowly came out of their hiding place, facing the Dalek as it only moved its laser, the weapon failing to fire. "It's damaged..."

"Okay, but what do we do?" Amy asked.

"Identify me. Access your files. Who am I?" The Doctor said, throwing his arms open as he addressed the Dalek. "Come on. Who's your daddy?"

"You are the Predator!" The Dalek said, Then it surprised Ember by turning its eyestalk to her. "And so are you!"

The Doctor spoke again. "Access your standing orders concerning the Predator. The me one, not her."

"The Predator must be destroyed!"

"And how are you going to do that, Dalek? Without a gun you're a tricycle with a roof." The Doctor taunted. "How are you going to destroy me?"

There was a pause before the Dalek spoke again. "Self-destruct initiated!"

Amy looked startled at that. "What's it doing?"

"It's going to blow itself up, and us with it. Only weapon it's got left." The Doctor said, using his Sonic to open the casing so he could lift it like a lid and poke around inside.

Ember braced herself, taking deep breaths. She had to time it right...

"Self-destruct cannot be countermanded." The Dalek said.

"I'm not looking for a countermand, dear. I'm looking for reverse." The Doctor replied as he closed the lid. The Dalek then began going backwards, picking up speed as it cried out to go the opposite way.

To Amy and the Doctor's surprise, Ember took off after it. "Ember!"

"It's gonna reverse it!" She called over her shoulder as she followed the retreating Dalek. She reached the door of the chamber just as the Dalek managed to stop itself from crashing into another.

"Self destruct reinitiated!" It cried.

"Initiate this!" Ember snapped, focusing on the feeling of danger she'd been feeling ever since she laid eyes on the Daleks, concentrating with everything she had to get a spark...

Amy and the Doctor were a several feet away when the whole chamber burst into flames, the force sending them to the floor and knocking Amy out.

"Ember?!" The Doctor called, moving to Amy's side even as he tried to look into the burning room for the brunette. "Ember!"

There was a slight movement, and then Ember stumbled out, her clothes singed again but otherwise relatively unharmed. She leaned on the doorframe and let out a breath.

"Ow," she muttered. "Ok, that hurt my head."

The Doctor gathered Amy into his arms and approached. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Ember frowned, wiping her face where she could feel dirt or ash. The move only served to smear it across her cheek even more. "It was going to come back and blow you up! I had to set it off before then!"

"You could have warned me!"

"At what point; before it blew up or after?!"

"Oswin?" The two turned to look into the remains of the chamber, surprised to hear Rory's voice.

Ember realised that the flames were too spread out, thus Rory wouldn't see or reach them from the other side of the room. She held out her hand and concentrated again.

_'If I can create the fire, I should be able to take it away,"_ she thought as she closed her hand into a fist, imagining that she was snuffing out the flames.

It worked only partially, but it was enough for Rory to be able to step through the rubble safely. "What happened? Who killed all the Daleks?"

The Doctor sent Ember a look. "Who do you think?"

"Oh, shut up." The brunette shot back as Rory reached them. "Hey, Rory, do me a favour?"

"Yeah?"

"Catch me."

Ember promptly passed out, Rory only just able to catch her.

* * *

Ember woke up to the sound of a slap and Rory saying "She remembers me."

"Same old Amy." The Doctor's voice came from her left, as did he when he moved into her view. "Hello, Sleeping Beauty."

"You're either very desperate, or you're talking to yourself," Ember muttered as she moved to sit up, the Doctor helping her. She looked around, to find that they were in what looked like a teleport room, a large circle slightly elevated to serve as the teleport. Amy was lying on it with Rory knelt beside her while Ember was just next to it. "Ah, not out long then."

The Doctor nodded, surprising her by grabbing her head in his hands and pressing a firm kiss to her forehead, though for a split second it looked like he was going for her lips. "You really need to stop doing that. Your powers are still new to you; you can't just go and blow things up all the time. Even putting out the fire takes energy and puts a strain on you."

"Noted." Ember replied. "Anyway, enough about that; you can tell me off later. Right now, Oswin has something to say. Right, Oswin?"

_"I don't know how you knew that, but you're right."_ Oswin's voice came on hidden speakers. _"Do you know how you make someone into a Dalek? Subtract love, add anger. Doesn't your redhead friend seem a bit too angry to you?"_

Amy lifted her head with a grumble. "Well, somebody's never been to Scotland!"

The Doctor looked up at the ceiling, a thought coming to him. "What about you, though, Oswin. How come you're okay? Why hasn't the nanocloud converted you?"

_"I mentioned the genius thing, yeah? Shielded in here."_

Ember leaned over to whisper to him. "Sounds too good to be true."

The Doctor looked thoughtful as he stood up and examined the room. "Clever of you. Now, this place. The Daleks said it was fully automated. Look at it. It's a wreck."

_"Well, I've had nearly a year to mess with them, and not a lot else to do."_

"A junior entertainment manager hiding out in a wrecked ship, hacking the security systems of the most advanced warrior race the universe has ever seen. But you know what really gets me about you, Oswin? The soufflés. Where do you get milk for the soufflés?" He turned to look at his friends. "Seriously. Is no one else wondering about that?"

"No." Rory said. "Frankly, no. Twice."

_"So, Doctor..."_ Oswin said. _"__I've been looking you up. You're all over the database. You and Ember. Why do the Daleks call you the Predators?"_

"I'm not the Predator, I'm just a man with a plan."

Ember blinked, catching on to what he wasn't saying. He hadn't denied that she was a predator. Is that what she was?

_"You've got a plan?"_ Oswin asked, unwittingly pulling Ember out of her thoughts. She sounded skeptical.

"We're all ears." Rory said.

"There's a nose joke going if someone wants to pick that one off." Amy added, making her husband roll his eyes.

"In no particular order, we need to neutralise all the Daleks in this Asylum, rescue Oswin from the wreckage, escape from this planet and fix Amy and Rory's marriage."

"Okay, I'm counting three lost causes. Anyone else?" Rory threw his hands up at Amy's response.

"Oswin, there's a Dalek ship in orbit."

_"Yes. Got it on the sensors."_

"The Asylum has a forcefield. The Daleks upstairs are waiting for me to turn it off. Soon as I do, they'll burn this whole world and us with it. So, Oswin, my question is this: How fast can you drop the forcefield?"

_"... Pretty fast. But why would I?"_

"Because this is a teleport." The Doctor pointed at the platform. "Am I right, Oswin?"

_"Yeah. Internal use only."_

"I can boost the power. Once the forcefield is down, I can use it to beam us right off this planet."

Rory blinked. "You said when the forcefield is down, the Daleks will blow us up."

"We'll have to be quick, yes."

"Fine, we'll be quick." Amy said. "But where do we beam to?"

"The only place within range. The Dalek ship."

"Where they'd exterminate us on the spot!"

Rory shook his head in disbelief. "Ah, so this is the kind of escape plan where you survive about four seconds longer."

"What's wrong with four seconds? You can do loads in four seconds." The Doctor said before he focused on their fifth member. "Oswin, how fast can you drop the forcefield?"

_"I can do it from here... as soon as you come and get me."_

"No, just drop the forcefield and come to us."

_"There's enough power in that teleport for one go. Why would you wait for me?"_

"Why wouldn't I?"

_"No idea. Never met you."_

Ember nodded. "She's got a point. All she's got on us is what the Daleks have. She doesn't know how loyal we are."

The Doctor pointed at her as though to tell her off as Oswin spoke._ "Sending you a map so you can come get me."_

"This place is crawling with Daleks!" Rory said.

_"Yeah. Kind of why I'm anxious to leave. Come up and see me sometime."_

Rory frowned as he watched the Doctor wait by the screen as a map came up on it. "So, are we going to go get her?"

"I don't think that we have a choice." The Doctor replied as he moved to grab a chunky remote and handed it to him. "Okay, as soon as the forcefield is down the Daleks will attack. If it gets too explody-wody in here, you go without me, okay?"

"And leave you to die?"

"Oh, don't worry about me. You're the one beaming up to a Dalek ship to get exterminated."

Rory tilted his head. "Fair point. Love this plan. What about Amy?"

"Keep her remembering, keep her focused. That'll hold back the conversion."

Amy looked at him. "What do I do?"

"You heard what she said. They're subtracting love. Don't let them." He have her a smile before he turned to face Ember. "And you-"

"I'm tagging with you," Ember cut him off, doing it again when he tried to argue. "No, they need to be alone, and you shouldn't be left alone. I'm going with you and that's that. Keep arguing and I'll set you on fire next."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, but let her go with him. "You wouldn't do that; you love me too much."

Ember faltered at that, but decided not to comment as she followed him down a long corridor. They could hear Daleks in the distance, but they weren't as relieved by it as one would expect.

The Doctor paused at a visible camera to straighten his bow tie. "Think they've patched it up yet?"

"By now, yes." Ember said, gesturing to the camera. "And they've realised that you gave Amy your wristband. By the way, why didn't you let me give her mine? You're immune, so I should be too."

"That might not be the case." The Doctor pointed out. "You still don't know what you are besides Time Lord. I do, but I can't say for sure that that part of you is as immune to the nanocloud as Time Lords are. And if you aren't, then I don't want to risk you becoming one of their puppets or worse."

Ember frowned, but understood his concern. She didn't even know what she was yet, so she had to rely on him to have some insight as to her weaknesses.

"So, do you know what broke them up?"

"Amy and Rory?" Ember had to check, and sighed when he nodded. "Rory has dreamed of being a father since he was a kid. But when the Slience took Amy, they did more than manipulate her pregnancy."

The Doctor took a moment before he suddenly realised. "... they didn't..."

"They did. She can't have any more children. Rather than tell Rory, she thought it was a better idea to just let him go. She was willing to be miserable so that he could have a chance at the family he wanted; she just didn't realise that she was a part of that dream, until he just told her now." Ember sighed again. "It's great that they have that, but it does make me slightly jealous. I never really thought about it myself, and I'd kinda given up on the thought of finding someone for me."

She didn't see him bite his lip hard, but she did feel it when he pulled her into a one-armed hug.

They walked for a little more before the Doctor spoke. "Oswin, I think we're close."

There was a pause before Oswin replied. _"You are. Less than twenty feet away. Which is the good news."_

"Okay. And the bad which I suddenly feel is coming?"

_"You're about to pass through Intensive Care."_

A door opened, revealing another large room with Daleks in it. Unlike the others, however, these ones were in chains, and they all had their laser weapon removed, though they still had the plunger-arm.

"What's so special about this lot, then?" The Doctor asked.

_"Don't know."_

"They're survivors," Ember murmured.

_"And she's done it again, right on the money. Survivors of particular wars. Spiridon, Kembel, Eridius, Vulcan, Exxilon. Ringing any bells?"_

"All of them." The Doctor said, all humour gone.

_"Yeah? How?"_

"These are the Daleks who survived me..."

"Doc...tor..." one of the chained Daleks stammered, as though their voice hadn't been used in ages.

A second was doing the same. "Doctor..."

In a matter of moments, all the the Daleks in the room were shouting, straining against their chains.

_"That's weird. Those ones don't usually wake up for anything."_

"Yeah, well, special visitor." The Doctor said, moving to a door on the far side of the room. He maneuvered Ember to be between him and the door, meaning he was now between her and the Daleks. "Okay, door, but it won't open. We can't be far away, though."

_"Hang on. Not quite sure. There's a release code. Let me just... Anything out there?"_

"No!"

_"Hang on, I'm trying to think!"_

The chains on the Daleks started breaking, allowing them to begin to move toward the two Time Lords. They were still repeating the word 'Doctor' like a chant, evidently the only thing they could register.

"Oswin, get this door open." The Doctor said. "Oswin, open this door!"

_"I can't!"_

"Oswin!" The Daleks were closing in. "Please get this door open!" He saw Ember close her eyes in concentration and pulled her to him. "No, Ember! Two bursts of your power so close together when it's this early for you will hurt you too! Oswin! Oswin, please! Get this door open!"

"Make them forget!" Ember suddenly yelled. She felt the Doctor turn so that his back was facing her, keeping her away from the danger, and something inside her was screaming, building up like a pressure inside her mind...

_Protect the Doctor..._

Just as one of the plungers was an inch away from the touching the Doctor's face, it stopped. The Daleks didn't move or speak for several long seconds, but then they quietly turned and went back to where they had been stationed, now ignoring the two of them.

_"Oh, that is cool."_ Oswin sounded smug and relieved at the same time. _"Tell me I'm cool, chin boy!"_

The Doctor blinked, completely shocked and more than a little shaken. "What, what did you do?"

_"Hang on, I think I've found the door thingy..."_

"No, tell me what you did!"

_"The Daleks, they have a hive mind. Well, they don't, they have a sort of telepathic web."_

"The path web, yes."

_"I hacked into it, did a mass delete on all the information connected with the Doctor."_

"You made them forget me?"

_"Just like Ember said. Good, eh? And here comes the door."_

The Doctor was hesitant as the door behind them rose. "I've tried hacking into the path web. Even I couldn't do it."

_"Come and meet the girl who can."_

The Doctor was about to turn around when Ember stopped him with one hand on his arm and the other on his back. Her voice cracked as she spoke, the sound making his hearts ache. "Doctor... you won't like what you're about to see, but you still need to see it. This is important."

The Doctor slowly turned around, finally looking beyond the newly opened door. What lay in the room made his hearts clench as well as his hands.

There, in a dirty version of the white room they'd been in before, was a single Dalek, chains draped over it to keep it bolted to the floor. There was no sign of the girl who'd guided them there.

"Hey, you're right outside." The Dalek said. Ember flinched. Now that they were right in front of the source, the voice no longer sounded human. "Come on in."

"Oswin," The Doctor began softly. "We have a problem..."

"No, we don't. Don't even say that." 'Oswin' waved him off. "Joined the Alaska to see the universe, ended up stuck in a shipwreck first time out. Rescue me, chin boy, and show me the stars!"

"Does it look real to you?"

"Does what look real?"

"Where you are right now." The Doctor clarified, looking around the room. "Does it seem real?"

"It is real."

"It's a dream, Oswin. You dreamed it for yourself because the truth was too terrible."

"Where am I?" The Dalek sounded almost like it should do. "Where... am I?"

The Doctor approached slowly, trying to keep his anger in check. Dalek or not, Oswin helped them: She deserved to know the truth. Ember stayed by the now-closed door, tears already streaming down her face. "Because you are a Dalek."

"I am not a Dalek. I am not a Dalek! I'm human."

"You were human when you crashed here." The Doctor leaned close, trying to see between the metal plates on the Dalek. "It was you who climbed out of the pod. That was your ladder."

"... I'm... human..."

"Not any more. Because you're right. You're a genius. And the Daleks need genius. They didn't just make you a puppet... they did a full conversion. Oswin, I am so sorry..." he moved away before turning back. "But you are a Dalek. The milk, Oswin. The milk and the eggs for the soufflés. Where, where did it all come from?"

"Eggs..." The Dalek seemed to mumble.

"Doctor..." Ember said, but her voice was too quiet.

The Doctor hadn't heard her. "It wasn't real. It was never real."

"Eggs..." The Dalek said again, and this time the weapon that was it's left 'arm' twitched. "Stir... Min... Ate..."

"Oswin?"

"Eggs...Stir, Min ate..." the words got stronger and came together to form the Dalek's well-known catchphrase. "Exterminate..."

"Oswin?" The Doctor stepped back as the Dalek moved forward, the rusty chains breaking and allowing it to move. "No, no, no, Oswin! Oswin!"

"Exterminate!"

"Listen! Oswin, you don't have to do this!"

"Exterminate!" The Dalek backed them up against the door, the Doctor keeping himself between the Dalek and Ember. The plunger pressed against his stomach.

"Oswin!" Ember yelled. "This isn't you! Snap out of it!"

The Dalek stopped shouting its trademark word, instead making sounds that could be interpreted as sobs before it spoke brokenly.

"Why do they hate you so much? They hate you so much." It turned its eyestalk to look at Ember, who was peeking over the Doctor's shoulder. "They fear you as much as they hate him. Why?"

"I fought them many, many times." The Doctor said at last, his body till tense.

"We have grown stronger in fear of you. Even with the knowledge that we would never surpass her."

Ember blinked, confused.

The Doctor didn't give her the chance to ask. "I know. I tried to stop."

There was a long pause.

"...Then run."

The Doctor looked surprised. "What did you say?"

The Dalek backed off a little, giving them room to breathe even as the door opened behind them. "I've taken down the forcefield. The Daleks above have begun their attack. Run!"

"Oswin, are you-"

The Dalek interrupted him. "I am Oswin Oswald. I fought the Daleks and I am human! Remember me."

"Thank you..."

"Run!"

The Doctor grabbed Ember's hand and took off, going back through the tunnels as they heard Oswin's human voice one last time.

"Run, you clever boy, and fiery girl. And remember."

Explosions could be heard and felt around them as they ran, and when they got back to the teleport room, they found Amy and Rory still there, now kissing.

"Right, go! Let's go. We're good. Let's go!" The Doctor said before he rolled his eyes. "Oh, for God's sake!"

He grabbed the control from Rory and activated it. Ember closed her eyes as it all went white for a moment before dimming, revealing that they were now inside the Tardis.

The Doctor moved to the console, pressing a few buttons before speaking on loudspeaker to the Dalek Parliament just outside. "You know, you guys should really have seen this coming. The thing about me and teleports, I've got a really good aim. Pin-point accurate, in fact. Or, to put it another way..."

Ember grinned as he went to the door to yell out "Suckers!" And then she turned to Amy and Rory, who were _still_ kissing. "Ugh, guys, come up for air, will you?"

Amy pulled away to give her a playful glare. "Oh, like you can talk? You and the Doctor can go for ages without breathing!"

"Well, of course. Time Lords have respiratory bypass, which lets them go on longer without..." she trailed off. A second passed, and then Ember's face went red. "What?!"

The Doctor returned, followed by the voices of the Daleks chanting 'Doctor Who?', and piloted them away. He paused when he saw Ember's red face. "Um, did I miss something?"

Ember looked at him, vaguely pointing at the reunited couple. "What she just said! Is it true? We've kissed?"

"Oh," The Doctor gave Amy a flat look, only to get a shrug in response, before he faced Ember again. "Um, well... there has been a few times where we... I mean... have you met River yet?"

"Yes, and I remember that she snogged me!" Ember said. "And then you, you said in Venice about kissing me, and you actually did, and then there's that look you keep giving me, and Amy said we kiss, and then... ow..."

The burning sensation made her stop mid-rant, and the Doctor gave a soft smile. "Looks like it's going to have to wait."

"Oh, you..." and then Ember jumped, the light disappearing a moment after.

Amy looked curious as she turned to the Doctor. "And when is it that you tell her?"

The Doctor shrugged, fiddling with something on the console. "Oh, not for a while yet, I think... I think I remember where she's about to go..."

* * *

And there we go! Ember finally met the Daleks, but the Doctor thought she'd met them already. What does this mean? Why does he keep asking if she's met them? You might find out soon!

Next Time: Someone tries to get in Ember's head, but they're in for a surprise.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: New Earth

Ok, here we go!

Oh, quick note; when Cassandra is in a certain person's body, I'll be addressing her as 'the possessed -insertnamehere-' or 'Cass/whoever'. Hope that helps any confusion

* * *

Ember swore as she landed. She'd lost count of how many times she'd jumped with questions for the Doctor only to find that he couldn't answer because it hadn't happened to him yet.

Had they really kissed? Or was Amy just teasing her? Then again, Craig had said he'd noticed the looks the Doctor gave her; Sophie had assumed they were together. Heck, even Guido thought they were engaged. And he had kissed her in Venice, even if it seemed like just a spur of the moment thing.

What did it all mean?

She took a deep breath to calm herself, and was surprised when the pleasant smell of apples reached her. Looking at the ground, she found lush, green grass, and there was what looked like the ocean nearby and a massive city beyond that. The cars flying above her made her realise where she was. "New Earth..."

That meant it was the Tenth Doctor and Rose. That made her part happy and part frustrated, since it meant that she couldn't grill the Time Lord on what she'd learnt or seen in his future.

Picking a random direction and walking, it wasn't long before she reached the top of a hill and spotted a familiar pair at the bottom: the Doctor and Rose were lying on his brown trench coat and watching the city. "Hey guys!"

Both heads turned at her call, wearing matching grins as she jogged down the hill to reach them. "Ember! Where have you been?"

"Oh, you know, met some former human people, same old," Ember said. At their puzzled looks, she sighed. "Met someone who didn't realise they'd been turned into something else. Can't say anymore."

Nodding, the Doctor shifted a bit so there was space on his right side. "Come sit down. We were just enjoying the view!"

"New Earth, right?" Ember asked, getting more nods. "And you've just regenerated."

"Yep." The Doctor grinned as she sat on the space he'd offered. "I was just about to tell Rose the history of this planet. So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted."

"That was your first date with me as a third wheel," Rose said, only to cover her mouth when Ember looked at her oddly and the Doctor looked unimpressed. "Oh, never mind, it's nothing."

Ember figured that it wasn't nothing, but the Doctor began talking again before she could say anything. "So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in."

Rose looked across the river. "What's the city called?"

"New New York." Ember said in time with the Doctor, who grinned at her.

"Oh, come on."

The Doctor looked at Rose. "It is! It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." He caught them grinning at him. "What?"

"You're so different." Rose said.

"New New Doctor."

The trio laughed at the joke, and the blonde pushed herself up. "Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?"

The Doctor followed along with Ember, the former struggling to put on his coat in the wind until the latter helped. "Well, I thought we might go there first."

Rose and Ember looked to where he'd gestured, to find an elegant pair of curved skyscrapers standing apart from the city on their side of the river. One of them had a green symbol in the shape of a crescent moon. "Why, what is it?"

"Some sort of hospital. Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this. A message on the psychic paper." He showed them the paper, where the words 'Ward 26, Please Come' kept writing itself before fading out of view. "Someone wants to see me."

"Hmm. And I thought we were just sight-seeing." Rose said. "Come on, then. Let's go and buy some grapes."

Ember caught a flash of metal out of the corner of her eye and turned her head, just in time to see a metal ball with four thin, long legs scuttle into the bushes. She narrowed her eyes, knowing exactly who was watching.

* * *

The trio reached the hospital in no time, looking around the crisp and clean reception room with interest.

"Don't like hospitals," Ember muttered, though her two companions heard her.

The Doctor took her hand in his. "I don't blame you. I don't like them either."

"Bit rich coming from you." Rose joked.

"I can't help it. I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps."

A tannoy came over the speakers in a calm, female voice. _"The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors_ _carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted."_

Rose turned to look up at the high ceiling. "Very smart. Not exactly NHS..."

"No shop. I like the little shop." The Doctor pouted. Ember pat him on the arm in sympathy.

"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything."

"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war."

Rose finally noticed the faces of the nursing staff in their nun-like wimples and habits: their feline features. She couldn't help but point. "They're cats."

The Doctor moved to her side so he wouldn't need to speak loudly. "Now, don't stare. Think what you look like to them, all... pink and yellow. That's where I'd put the shop. Right there."

Rose looked where he pointed, and because of that she didn't see the Doctor lead Ember to the lifts. The brunette debated hanging back or taking Rose's place, but she couldn't do it now without raising alarm bells. And as much as she hated to admit it, Cassandra would be needed later.

Unaware of the dilemma Ember was going through, the Doctor led her to the first of the two lifts, his voice bringing her back to reality. "Ward 26, thanks!"

"Hold on! Hold on!" Rose called as she tried to catch up, but the lift closed just before she got to them.

"Oh, too late. We're going up."

Rose's voice was getting fainter. "It's all right, there's another lift."

"Ward 26. And watch out for the disinfectant."

"Watch out for what?"

"The disinfectant!"

"The what?"

"The disin-Oh, you'll find out." The Doctor looked at Ember. "She does find out, right?"

Ember nodded. "Though you should be glad that it doesn't ruin her hair."

There was a loud ding before a female, computerised voice spoke._ "Commence stage one disinfection."_

Even though Ember knew it was coming, she still jumped when several sprays drenched her and the Doctor. The Doctor chuckled as he ran his hands through his hair, reaching over to pull the hairband out of Ember's ponytail so that her hair hung loose to touch her shoulders. She tried to get it back, but the Doctor easily held it out of her reach and moved his free hand to run his fingers through her hair.

Ember froze at the action. She suddenly became very aware of the fact that the two of them were facing each other in very close proximity, the fact that they were soaked through, and the fact that he was looking at her with those stormy brown eyes the same way he would do in his future. He'd even lowered the hand holding her hairband, but neither noticed or cared. The Doctor moved his other hand from her hair to cup her cheek, leaning forward just slightly...

When suddenly, some kind of thin powder was blown at them, making them flinch and step back away from each other. Ember took the hairband from the Doctor and turned so that her back was to him, missing the flash of disappointment that crossed his face as the blow dryers started up.

The lift dinged and the doors opened, Ember walking out quickly so that she didn't have to face the Doctor with the massive blush she could feel on her face.

The Doctor sighed as he followed the brunette. He really should have known better. He caught up with her and gently grabbed her arm to stop her. "Ember, I'm sorry, I just..."

"I-it's ok," Ember stammered. She found it hard to look at him, only able to get as far as his chest. "Um, you know, it's probably my fault anyway, so..."

"Ember," The Doctor gently put his free hand on her chin to encourage her to look at him. "It isn't your fault, at all. Please, don't put yourself down."

Ember nodded shyly, smiling when he nudged her chin with his knuckles. He seemed to know exactly what to say to make her feel better, even if her stomach was still flipping at what had happened in the lift.

A cat nurse approached them, her face covered with a veil. "Hello. I am Sister Jatt. May I ask what brings you here this afternoon?"

The Doctor turned and smiled at her, bringing his arm up to hold Ember in a gentle, one armed hug. "Yes. We're here to visit someone in this ward."

"Very well. Follow me, please."

Ember breathed a sigh of relief as she and the Doctor followed the nurse. She was worried that it would have been awkward between them, and was very glad that he didn't seem to have been as affected as she had been.

The Doctor breathed his own sigh. If only she knew. He spoke to the nurse as they were led into the ward. "Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can... shop..."

The nurse removed her veil. "The hospital is a place of healing."

"A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people."

"The Sisters of Plenitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend." Jatt said as they began to pass an open cubicle. Ember and the Doctor glanced in, to see an overweight man with skin that looked like stone.

A thin woman in a neat suit saw them and glared. "Excuse me! Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York."

"That's Petrifold Regression, right?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm dying, sir." The Duke said. "A lifetime of charity and abstinence, and it ends like this."

The woman spoke again. "Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance."

"Frau Clovis!" The Duke gasped - a sound that seemed more like stone grating - and grabbed the woman's hand. "I'm so weak..."

"Sister Jatt. A little privacy, please."

Jatt led Ember and the Doctor away. "He'll be up and about in no time."

"I doubt it." The Doctor said, rubbing one ear. "Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for oh... a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue."

Sister Jatt smiled. "Have faith in the Sisterhood. But is there no one here you recognise? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient."

The Doctor caught sight of someone. "No, I think we've found him."

Ember turned to follow his gaze, to see a giant face in a container by the picture window with a view of the city. There was another nurse with him.

"Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman and lady in your care?" Jatt said to the other nurse.

The Doctor stopped her before she left. "Oh, I think our friend got lost. Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?"

"Certainly, sir."

The other nurse - Hame - smiled at them. "I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or..."

"We met just the once on Platform One." The Doctor replied as Ember moved to sit on the floor in front of the container. "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying."

"Of what?"

"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible."

"Oh, I don't know. I like impossible." The Doctor squatted beside Ember, putting his hand on the glass. "I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me. It's the Doctor."

Ember bit her lip as the giant face seemed to sigh at the touch. "I didn't expect this to be the first time we meet."

"Do you know him?"

"Yea. But I hadn't met him in person yet."

They remained in silence for several minutes before the Doctor excused himself to get a drink of water, leaving his coat for Ember to sit on. Ember put her hand on the glass tank, and was surprised when she felt a presence nudge her mind. "... Jack?"

_"It has been a long time since I've been called that, Little Firebird."_

Ember noticed that Boe's eyes were still closed and had to close her own eyes and concentrate. She didn't want to speak aloud in case the Doctor overheard. _"When did you last see me?"_

_"On Platform One. You called me Jack then, too."_

_"What did you just call me? Little firebird?"_

_"Yes. It has been somewhat of a nickname I gave you soon after I first met you."_ There was a soft chuckle in her mind. _"But this is the only time I've seen you without that scar..."_

Ember rolled her eyes. _"Again with the scar? I'm getting kind of annoyed about that. When and where do I get it?"_

_"I cannot tell you exactly when," _Jack - or Boe? - said. _"But I can tell you that it is going to happen very soon."_

_"Oh, lovely. Mind if I write that down?"_

Another chuckle echoed in her mind. _"Forgive me, Little Firebird, but I grew tired much more easily these days..."_

Ember sighed and nodded. _"Get some sleep, you big face."_

It seemed to be good timing, as the Doctor returned with two plastic cups of water, one of which he offered to Novice Hame.

"That's very kind. There's no need." She said as she took the cup.

"You're the one working." He replied as he offered the second cup to Ember, who took it with a smile of thanks.

"There's not much to do, just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs..."

"Are we the only visitors?"

"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret, that he will speak those words only to ones like himself."

That made the Doctor pause. "What does that mean?"

Hame must have noticed his change of posture, though she was confused by it. "It's just a story..."

"Every story has a stem of truth in it." Ember said, looking up at them from her seated position. "It can be tiny, but true."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "Tell us the rest."

Hame hesitated before she continued. "It's said he'll talk to wanderers. To the man and woman without a home. The Lonely God, and the Jumping Fire."

The Doctor looked at Ember, who met his gaze evenly. Her expression was all the confirmation he needed.

* * *

A short time later, the Doctor had gone to the nearest public phone to try to call Rose, since the blonde had yet to join them. Ember remained sat in front of the Face of Boe, waiting for the cue for the next part.

She felt a gentle nudge at her mind before she heard Boe's voice in her head. _"So you've heard my little story?"_

Putting her hand on the glass somehow made it easier to talk to him in her mind, so she did so before she replied._ "Yea. The Jumping Fire?"_

_"Well, I couldn't refer to you using your nickname, Firebird. I'm the only one who uses it, so I'm sure the Doctor would have noticed and made the connection."_

_"True, though sometimes he plays the part of oblivious idiot quite well."_ Ember heard him chuckle in her head. _"So... you know who's in the basement, right?"_

_"Lady Cassandra. I sensed her when she first arrived here."_

Ember nodded. _"Do you know what they're doing here? How they have these miracle cures?"_

_"I had a suspicion. I came here to make it certain."_

_"Were you going to stop it?"_

Another chuckle. _"I have learned not to turn a blind eye to_ _those in plight. I may have... strayed from the path a few times in my younger years, but that time was long ago. But now I see that the matter will be attended to shortly."_

_"... you're faking it, aren't you? You're not dying; you just needed a way in before you sent the Doctor that message."_

_"You always were very clever, Little Firebird."_

Ember shrugged. She was warming up to the nickname._ "I'm not clever. I just know when I'm looking at connections."_

_"And many others cannot, or choose not to. In my opinion, that makes you clever."_

The brunette was about to reply when she heard cheering from the other side of the ward. She glanced over to find that it was coming from where they'd seen the Duke. _"Looks like it's showtime. I gotta go."_

_"Be safe, Little Firebird."_

Ember stood up, working the tingling out of her left foot as she walked to where the Doctor was talking on the phone, though he seemed to have noticed the cheering as well.

"I'd better go. See you in a minute." He said before he hung up, looking at Ember. "Trouble?"

"To them, no." Ember replied, gesturing. "To us... big problem, in more ways than one."

The Doctor took her hand and walked over to where the Duke of Manhattan was, surprised to find that his skin looked pink and healthy again.

"Didn't think I was going to make it..." he was saying before he caught sight of them. "It's that man and woman again! They're my good luck charms!"

The Doctor shrugged. "Well, I'd say Ember's more of the good luck charm between the two of us..."

"Come in. Don't be shy!"

The woman looked a little more relaxed now that her boss was no longer dying. "Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract."

"Winch me up. Up!" The Duke grinned as the bed was lifted. "Look at me! No sign of infection!"

A man with a tray carrying glasses addressed them. "Champagne, sir, Miss?"

"No, thanks." The Doctor said, Ember shaking her head as well, before he turned his attention to the Duke again. "You had Petrifold Regression, right?"

"Had being the operative word. Past tense! Completely cured."

"But that's impossible..."

Another nurse spoke up from behind them. "Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science."

The Doctor looked at her. "How on Earth did you cure him?"

"How on New Earth, you might say."

"What's in that solution?"

"A simple remedy."

The Doctor raised a brow. "Then tell me what it is."

"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp."

"I'm the Doctor."

Casp gave him a dirty look. "I think you'll find that we're the doctors here."

Sister Jatt appeared at that moment. "Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care."

"If you would excuse me." Casp said to the pair before she and Jatt walked away.

The Doctor watched them go before he looked at Ember, puzzled to find her glaring at the cats. "I thought you liked cats?"

"The ones on four legs that meow and purr, yes." Ember said. "Ones that walk on two that pretend to be nuns and nurses, not so much. Here's a hint; Intensive Care doesn't live up to its name."

"Hmm," The Doctor looked around at the other patients in the ward. "And these people? They're all getting cures that shouldn't exist yet."

"They're going much faster in medical science, and you won't like how they're doing it," Ember replied.

The Doctor nodded, taking her with him as he made his way around the ward, checking patients for what they were suffering with and what was being done to cure them. He even put on his 'brainy specs' as he examined the drip bags. In less time than Ember expected, the doors to the ward opened and in strolled Rose.

Or rather, Cassandra in Rose's body, the clothes of which she'd adjusted slightly to accent her... features a bit better.

"There you are!" The Doctor said when he spotted her, jogging up to her and taking her hand to guide her to a cubicle, where a patient was suspended in thin air with skin as red as a tomato. "Come and look at this patient. Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it. They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is _way_ advanced. And this one." He grabbed Ember's hand and led both of them to another cubicle, where a man was as white as his hospital gown. "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine. I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this."

He walked off, and Ember glanced at Cass/Rose. It was only for a split second, but she caught the glare that was sent her way before the possessed blonde turned to follow the Doctor. Ember shrugged; guess she didn't make a good impression on their first go around on Platform One.

They caught up with the Doctor as he spoke again. "Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it..." Cass/Rose said. Ember winced at the horrible accent.

The Doctor seemed to notice as well. "What's, what's... what's with the voice?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just larking about." The blonde put her hands on her hips, trying to look seductive. "New Earth... new me."

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor."

Cass/Rose didn't get the joke, looking him up and down. "Mmm, aren't you just."

Before Ember could stop her, she suddenly grabbed the Doctor's head and yanked him in for long, hard kiss. Ember had to look away; surely that hurt?

She heard them part and looked to find both of them breathless, Cass/Rose gladly so while the Doctor looked shocked. The possessed blonde spoke after a moment. "Terminal's this way. Phew."

As she walked away, Ember was surprised when the Doctor immediately wiped his mouth using his sleeve with a frown before he turned to her. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I just..."

"It's fine, Doctor." Ember said, taking his hand. His strong reaction puzzled her; on the show, he didn't look nearly as bothered when he got snogged. "Um, another hint, though you've probably noticed by now; Rose isn't acting like Rose. Question is, why?"

The Doctor looked at her for a long moment, his expression showing that he was debating something before he simply nodded and squeezed her hand before moving to catch up with their friend. They found her by the lift, where there was a computer terminal.

The Doctor moved to the terminal and used it to bring up a layout of the hospital. "Nope, nothing odd. Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop."

"You and your shop," Ember murmured, shaking her head. "But you're actually on the right path here; what else isn't here that should be?"

Cass/Rose pushed Ember aside - making her bump into the Doctor - to see the terminal for herself, unwittingly giving them another sign that something was wrong; Rose wouldn't have done that so carelessly. "No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?"

The Doctor nodded. "You're right. Well done."

"Why would they hide a whole department? It's got to be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame."

"What if the sub-frame's locked?"

"Try the installation protocol."

"Yeah." The Doctor sounded casual, but Ember felt him tense as he got out his Sonic: he knew that Rose didn't have that kind of knowledge. "Of course. Sorry. Hold on."

After sonicing the terminal, a section of the wall next to them slid down to reveal a dark corridor that was a stark contrast to the whiteness of the hospital walls. Cass/Rose strode in without hesitating, which set off more alarm bells.

"Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive." The Doctor said, squeezing Ember's hand again as he followed the possessed blonde.

They made their way down an old-fashioned metal staircase, soon finding their way to a corridor that was lined with green-lit cells. The Doctor, frowning, opened the nearest one and looked inside.

Ember flinched as she saw the man inside the cell. Every inch of visible skin was covered in boils and rashes, and he looked at them with barely any life in his eyes. The smell made her want to retch, but she stopped herself: it wasn't their fault they were like this.

"That's disgusting." Cass/Rose said, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. "What's wrong with him?"

The Doctor didn't answer her, instead addressing the man. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He closed the cell and moved to open the one next to it, to find a woman in the exact same condition.

The possessed blonde gagged a little. "What disease is that?"

"All of them. Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything."

"What about us? Are we safe?"

"Yea, don't worry about them, they're only in extreme agony," Ember retorted, only to get a dirty look in return.

"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them." The Doctor said, closing the cell and turning to the railing, looking up at the thousands of cells around them.

Cass/Rose followed him after giving Ember another dirty look. "How many patients are there?"

"They're not patients."

"But they're sick."

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm." The Doctor glanced at Ember, who had moved to his side and was holding the railing as tightly as he was, only in her grip the metal creaked. She didn't seem to notice. "Jumping ahead of medical science."

Ember nodded, swallowing hard as she looked at the cells. How could someone allow all these people to suffer? Sadly, she knew why; because they weren't regarded as people.

Cass/Rose looked thoughtful as the Doctor gently eased Ember's grip off of the railing and led them away. "Why don't they just die?"

The Doctor looked at the nearest cell in disgust. "Plague carriers. The last to go."

"It's for the greater cause."

The trio looked down the corridor for the owner of the voice, to find the nurse that had been with the Face of Boe.

"Novice Hame." The Doctor said. "When you took your vows, did you agree to this?"

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help..."

"What, by killing?"

"But they're not real people." Hame said. "They're specially grown. They have no proper existence."

"What's the turnover, hmm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years?" The Doctor said before he raised his voice. "How many!"

"Mankind needed us. They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh."

Ember frowned. "You don't get to decide that. It's not your right to decide who is alive and who isn't. You're not gods."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "These people are alive."

"But think of those Humans out there." Hame tried to reason. "Healthy and happy, because of us."

"If they live because of this, then life is worthless."

"But who are you to decide that?"

The Time Lord stepped into Hame's personal space. "I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it, if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me."

Cass/Rose chose that moment to speak, peeking over the Doctor's shoulder. "Just to confirm. None of the humans in the city actually know about this?"

Hame blinked, puzzled. "We thought it best not..."

"Hold on." The Doctor cut in. "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. One thing I can't understand: What have you done to Rose?"

The possessed blonde looked as surprised as Hame was confused. "I don't know what you mean."

"And I'm being very, very calm. You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Rose's head, I want it reversed."

"We haven't done anything."

Ember gently put her hand on his arm. "She's telling the truth. It's not them who's done something to Rose."

"I'm perfectly fine..." the possessed blonde tried to play it off.

The Doctor was not convinced. "These people are dying, and Rose would care."

A moment passed, and then Cass/Rose rolled her eyes, turning the Doctor to face her. "Oh, all right, clever clogs." She pulled his tie out of his suit as though to adjust it. "Smarty pants. Lady-killer."

"What's happened to you?" The Doctor asked, looking mildly uncomfortable.

"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find it out."

"Who are you?"

Cass/Rose leaned in to whisper in his ear. "The last human..."

"Cassandra?"

"Wake up and smell the perfume." She grabbed a small vial from her cleavage and sprayed the Doctor in the face. He was out cold instantly, dropping like a rock, and Ember was just able to get behind him to stop him from hitting his head as he fell. Unfortunately, it left her vulnerable as Cass/Rose sprayed her face next, making her pass out as well.

* * *

_"You are so powerful..."_

_"Why was she chosen, out of so many?"_

_"Until the time comes, she will sleep..."_

* * *

Ember shifted slightly as she slowly came to, only to freeze as whatever she was sitting on moved as well. Carefully, she opened her eyes and was surprised to meet the Doctor's gaze, as well as the fact that his face was just inches away from hers. Blinking, she looked around and groaned when she realised that the two of them were inside one of the cells in Intensive Care; the Doctor restrained in the seat while she was sat sideways on his lap.

"Great," She muttered. "Stuck in a little box with barely enough room for two, again."

The Doctor blinked. "Again?"

"Um, spoilers. How long was I out?"

"I just woke up." He tried to move to look out of the cell, only to nearly headbutt her in the temple. "Sorry, sorry."

Ember bit her lip to hold back a sound as the Doctor's thigh shifted against the backs of hers. "Maybe you should just sit still."

"Yeah, that's-" the Doctor began, only to cut himself off as Ember shifted her legs round so that she was sat on his lap with her back against his chest. So close together, he could feel her against him, and it made his face turn red. "-an idea..."

Ember seemed to be unaware of what she was doing to the Time Lord, leaning forward to try to see through the green-tinted glass door. "Hey! Cassandra! I know you're out there!"

"Aren't you lucky there was a spare?" They could just about hear her voice, as well as a blurry view of her as the possessed blonde moved to stand in front of the door. "Standing room only, though it might be a bit tight for two."

The Doctor frowned at her over Ember's shoulder. "You've stolen Rose's body."

"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor. And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes. You've got about... three minutes left, and then you'll pass it to her. Enjoy."

"Just let Rose go, Cassandra."

"I will. As soon as I've found someone younger, and less common, then I'll junk her with the waste."

Ember put her hand on the door, trying to push it open, but to no avail. She glanced back when the Doctor let out a half huff, half grunt sound. "You okay? Did I hit something?"

The Doctor would have groaned at the sudden thoughts that came unbidden by the brunette's innocent concern, but he knew that he needed to keep that to himself. "No, you're fine."

Reassured, Ember turned her gaze back to looking through the door. "Cassandra, your plan won't work! You can't blackmail them!"

"Oh, and there you go, preaching again, like you know the future." Cass/Rose said. "Now hushaby. It's showtime."

There were voices further away, just enough for them to hear but not enough to make out what was said. Cass/Rose turned away from the cell to address them.

"Ugh, stupid woman!" Ember grumbled, looking around the door for some way to open it.

"Ember, can you reach my Sonic?" The Doctor asked.

The brunette glanced back at him, and he was thankful that the dark tint in the cell hid the fact that his face was still a bit red. "Maybe, but I doubt it'll be much use in here. There's no emergency exit. Besides, Cassandra's gonna let us out in a minute."

"Do you know what they're talking about?"

"Yea. She thinks she can blackmail them into paying her off. But she forgot something."

"What's that?"

"Cats have claws."

Suddenly there was a loud alarm, and the door opened on its own, as well as the restraints holding the Doctor in the chair. As soon as there was room, Ember hopped off his lap and gave him the space to get out as well, though they were greeted with a bad sight.

All of the cells on that level had opened, and the disease-ridden patients were slowly climbing out.

The Doctor looked around and caught sight of Cass/Rose, along with a skinny man with patterns on his skin. "What have you done?!"

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake them up." The possessed blonde said before taking off. "See ya!"

The Doctor looked to where Jatt and Casp were backing away from the diseased people. "Don't touch them! Whatever you do, don't touch!" He grabbed Ember's hand and pulled her with him as he took off after Cass/Rose. They weren't running for long until the cell locks began to blow, and they got to the railing again, looking in shock as every single cell began to open and let out the patients inside.

"Oh, my God!" Cass/Rose gaped.

"What the hell have you done?!" The Doctor yelled at her.

"It wasn't me!"

Ember rolled her eyes. "Not quite. You only let out a few of them; those few let out the rest!"

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra. We've got to go down!"

"But there's thousands of them!" Cass/Rose wailed.

"Run! Down!" The Doctor pulled Ember with him again, running down the stairs after Cass/Rose with the patterned guy following. "Down! Go down! Keep going!"

_"This building is under quarantine."_ The tannoy announced. _"Repeat: This building is under quarantine. No one may leave the premises. Repeat, no one may leave the premises."_

Cass/Rose reached the elevators, frantically pressing the button only for the Doctor to stop her. "No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine. Nothing's moving."

"This way!" She called, leading them towards where she'd been hiding. Then, just as she, the Doctor and Ember passed a door, it opened to let some diseased patients out. The patterned man - Chip - was cut off from them.

"Someone will touch him!" The Doctor yelled, but Cass/Rose grabbed his arm.

"Leave him! He's just a clone thing. He's only got a half life. Come on!"

"Mistress!" Chip cried, scared.

The Doctor hesitated. "I'm sorry, I can't let her escape!"

"Chip, run! Save yourself!" Ember yelled, letting out a breath relief when the man did just that, and then followed the Doctor and Cass/Rose.

They reached the room where Cassandra had been hiding, the Doctor instantly noticing the machine that was used to put her in Rose, as the possessed blonde closed the door and ran for the other one on the far side, only to slam it shut when more patients appeared.

"We're trapped!" She cried. "What am I going to do?"

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body." The Doctor said, getting his Sonic out and pointing to the machine. "That psychograft is banned on every civilised planet. You're compressing Rose to death."

"But I've got nowhere to go. My original skin's dead."

"Not my problem. You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out." He pointed the Sonic at her, and Ember wondered if he could actually do anything with it or if he was just using it for bravado. "Give her back to us."

Cass/Rose gave him a look. "You asked for it."

She took a breath and, to Ember's surprise, the pink energy she saw on the show was visible to the naked eye as it jumped from Rose to the Doctor, who saw it at the last moment and put away the Sonic before he was taken over.

"Blimey, my head." Rose said, back to herself again. "Where'd she go?"

"She's not in me, so take a guess," Ember said as she moved to Rose's side.

"Oh, my. This is different."

Rose looked at the Doctor as he straightened, though his posture was clearly different, with his arms bent and hands near his face. "...Cassandra?"

"Goodness me, I'm a man!" Cass/Doctor said, curious. "Yum! So many parts. And hardly used." He/she started bobbing to a rythem no one else heard. "Oh, oh, two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"

"Get out of him!" Rose said, she and Ember more than a little disturbed at the sight of their friend behaving so... not-Doctor.

Cass/Doctor ignored her, running a hand down his own side. "Oo, he's slim, and a little bit foxy." He gave Rose a cheeky grin as he moved closer to her. "You've thought so too. I've been inside your head. You've been looking. You like it."

Ember rolled her eyes as Rose looked uncomfortable. This was about the time that the diseased patients were supposed to get through the door, but to her surprise it didn't happen yet, and the possessed Doctor turned to her.

"Oh, he's hidden himself, but I was just able to get in a peek," he said, eyeing Ember from head to toe. "And ooh, does he like you. Such naughty thoughts he has about you..."

Now Ember felt uncomfortable. Was Cassandra just making it up, doing it to get back at her for whatever she'd done on Platform One? Or did what she was saying have a sliver of truth to it?

The door behind them burst open at that moment, letting the diseased people began to enter the room.

"What do we do? What would he do?" Cass/Doctor said, panicking. "The Doctor, what the hell would he do?"

"Ladder!" Rose said, spotting that very thing. "We've got to get up."

She made for it, only for Cass-Doctor to push her aside "Out of the way, blondie!"

Ember made Rose go before her as the patients begged for help, feeling a pang at the fact that she couldn't even touch them. The only thing that soothed her was the fact that they would get that help soon.

The trio ended up in one of the lift shafts, climbing up the ladder to the side as quickly as they could.

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something." Rose said.

"Yap, yap, yap." Cass-Doctor retorted. "God, it was tedious inside your head: Hormone city."

"Look, can we just hurry up, please!" Ember called from below them. She was just about to take the next rung when she felt something grab her by her shoe, and she looked down to find Matron Casp had grabbed her. "Hey! Get off!"

"All our good work. All that healing!" The cat-nurse ground out as Rose and Cass/Doctor looked down at them. "The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything!"

"Go and play with a ball of string!" Cass/Doctor snapped.

"Everywhere, disease! This is the human world. Sickness..." she paused, and then groaned as boils suddenly sprouted on her face. She lost her grip of both the rung and Ember's foot and fell back, screaming as she fell to the bottom of the elevator shaft.

"Move!" Rose yelled as Cass/Doctor, who yelped in fright and scurried up the ladder. Ember was quick to follow as she saw the dieseased people following them.

_"Maximum quarantine."_ The tannoy announced. _"Divert all shuttles."_

They soon reached the elevator door that led to Ward 26, and Cass/Doctor reached out to push it, to find that it wouldn't budge. "Now what do we do?"

"Use the sonic screwdriver!" Rose replied.

After a moment's pause, Cass/Doctor pulled out the sonic, holding it like a dirty sock. "You mean this thing?"

"Yes, I mean that thing!"

"Well, I don't know how! That Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts! Especially after I saw what he thinks of her!"

"Cassandra, go back into me. The Doctor can open it. Do it!"

"Hold on tight." Pink light left the Doctor and went into Rose. "Oh, chavtastic again. Open it!"

The Doctor, now back to himself, pointed the sonic at her. "Not till you get out of her."

"We need the Doctor!"

"I order you to leave her! And don't even think about going into Ember!" Cassandra jumped back into him. "No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout."

Rose was getting frustrated. "Cassandra, get out of him!"

"But I can't go into you, he simply refuses. He's so rude!"

"Go to the woman at the front!" Ember yelled at last. "You can slow her down!"

"Oh, I am so going to regret this." Cassandra jumped out the Doctor, zoomed past Rose and Ember, and into the infected woman that was now a rung away from catching Ember. She looked at her arms in revulsion. "Oh, sweet Lord. I look disgusting!"

The Doctor swiftly opened the lift doors to ward 26, stepping off and then turning back to help Rose step over. "Nice to have you back."

Ember wasn't far behind, but just before she stepped off the ladder, she saw a flash of pink and felt Cassandra jump into her body, knocking her to the floor.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!" The Doctor snapped as he closed the lift doors with the Sonic.

Ember barely heard him; the sudden feeling that could be described as being stuffed into a box too small for her was already overwhelming._ "Get out of my head!"_

_"No chance. Maybe brunette is better than blonde." _Cassandra replied, happily occupying the space and expecting the woman's mind to be tucked away like the others, only to sense something rush up in Ember's mind to meet her. _"Wha-"_

_"I said... **GET OUT!"**_

She'd practically roared the last bit, almost sounding... primal, and an unknown force practically threw Cassandra out, giving her no choice but to go into Rose instead. Ember fell against the opposite wall, clutching her head and shaking from the pain.

The Doctor was at her side in an instant. "Ember? Talk to me, what happened?"

"What are you?" Cass/Rose gasped, looking almost terrified of the brunette. "What was that? What the hell are you?!"

"Ember?" The Doctor ignored the possessed blonde in favour of checking Ember. "Come on, talk to me."

"My head..." Ember whimpered. It felt like someone was rubbing her brain with sandpaper. "Ugh... Where is she?"

The Doctor gave Cass/Rose an unimpressed look. "Back in Rose."

Ember winced. "How did you get her out?"

"I didn't. You did."

"Huh?"

"You threw me out! I've never felt such power!" Cass/Rose said, pulling herself to her feet. "You're not human! I... I don't even know what you are!"

"You and me both," Ember muttered. "But that's not important right now. What did you feel when you were in that patient?"

Cass/Rose blinked, puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Ember gave her a dark look that made the possessed blonde falter. "Ok, you tell us right now or I'll figure out what I did to get you out of my head and use it to blast you into atoms! Now tell us what you saw in there!"

"Ember..." the Doctor put his hand on her shoulder, but before either of them could do anything, Cass/Rose spoke.

"Inside her head... They're so alone." She said, suddenly looking crushed as she focused on what she'd felt when she was in the diseased woman. "They keep reaching out, just to hold us. All their lives and they've never been touched."

Ember took a breath, willing the anger out of her. She wasn't sure what had made her so angry in the first place, but she figured it had something to do with Cassandra getting in her head; the Doctor had already expressed a theory that she was more sensitive to mental stimuli, and he'd said before that 'if she didn't you in her mind, you wouldn't be'. Maybe the barriers the Doctor had helped her with earlier were providing a stronger defence than either of them expected.

The Doctor held out his hand to her, helping her get back to her feet as they heard thumping from the other side of the elevator doors. The trio quickly moved away, about to step into the ward when a familiar woman in the neat suit came running at them with a metal stool and a roar.

"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe!" The Doctor said quickly. "We're clean! We're clean! Look, look."

"Show me your skin." Clovis demanded.

The Doctor and Ember showed her their hands while Cass/Rose made a point to show her arms at every angle to prove that they were disease free. "Look, clean. Look, if we'd been touched, we'd be dead." Clovis lowered her makeshift weapon, satisfied. "So how's it going up here? What's the status?"

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only ones left." Clovis explained, leading them into the ward and grabbing a data pad. "I've been trying to override the quarantine. If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad..."

The Doctor shook his head. "You can't do that. If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine."

"I am not dying in here!"

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out. There are ten million people in that city. They'd all be at risk. Now, turn that off!"

"Not if it gets me out!"

The Doctor gave her an incredulous look. "All right, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Rose, Novice Hame, everyone! Excuse me, your Grace. Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!"

Everyone flurried into motion, grabbing every drip bag they could find. Ember grabbed a heavy silk rope from the Duke's cubicle and held it out to the Doctor, making him grin as he grabbed a piece of the winch mechanism from the bed.

"My hero," he said, giving her a one-armed hug as he began to wrap the rope around himself. "You feeling better?"

"Head still hurts," the brunette admitted. "You helped put some extra strength in my mental barriers not long ago, so I guess that's what helped kick Cassandra out of my head."

"I did? Why?"

Ember shrugged as someone passed her one of the drip bags so she could hook it onto the rope now secure around the Doctor's torso. "You mentioned that I'm sensitive to time distortions. Remember when Rose saved her father? Well, on the adventure after that you took a look at my 'walls' and made them stronger."

The Doctor put his hand on her arm, making her look up at him. "I have strong mental defences, but I couldn't kick her out. Something else did it for you."

"... Like what?" More people came up to them with drip bags containing various colours of liquids, and Ember shook her head. "Never mind, not important right now."

The Doctor looked skeptical, but let it go as he helped her add the bags to the rope. Even Cass/Rose had a few. "How's that? Will that do?"

"I don't know." The possessed blonde said. "Will it do for what?"

The Doctor didn't answer, instead running to the lift doors - the one that didn't have people on the other side - and forced them open.

"The lifts aren't working!" Cass/Rose said.

"Not moving. Different thing. Here we go." He put the Sonic between his teeth and then took a few steps back before taking a run up.

"But you're not going to-" Cass/Rose began, only to look wide-eyed as he jumped into the shaft and grabbed the lift cable. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going down!" He attached the winch piece to the cable and looked at the possessed blonde. "Come on!"

Cass/Rose scoffed. "Not in a million years!"

"I need another pair of hands!"

"Then get her to do it!"

Ember shook her head. "Trust me, it has to be you. Unless you want to get back in my head?"

"I'd sooner jump!"

"What do you think?" The Doctor said, waggling his eyebrows. "If you're so desperate to stay alive, why don't you live a little?"

Ember saw the diseased patients turning the corner and ran back to the ward as Clovis ordered they be sealed. "Good luck, guys!"

The doors closed and sealed. The brunette sighed as the other survivors waited tensely, hearing thumping coming from the doors, and hoped that she'd made the right decision.

She felt a familiar nudge against her mind before she heard the Face of Boe speak to her. _"Will you sit with me, Little Firebird?"_

Ember turned and walked to the window where Boe was, pointedly ignoring Novice Hame as she sat on the floor in front of the glass tank and put her hand on it. _"Hey, ya big face..."_

_"Are you alright? I sense that you are in pain..."_

_"Kinda,"_ Ember sighed, shifting slightly so she could put her forehead against the glass, letting the coolness of it soothe her aching head._ "Had Cassandra try to take over my body, but something in my head forced her out. I'm guessing you know what it is?"_

_"I know many things about you, Little Firebird."_

_"How very cryptic of you. Can't you tell me something? I don't even remember what I did to get her out."_

She heard him sigh in her mind. _"It is but a part of who you are. Time Lords are known for their great mental abilities..."_

_"... but it's not from that part of me, is it?"_ Ember replied._ "It's from this mystery part of me, that so many people seem to know about but won't tell me!"_

_"Please do not fret. That part of you is just beginning to wake up, and what you've witnessed so far is merely that part... stretching its legs, if you will."_

_"But what is it? Who am I? What am I?"_

Something that sounded like a really old song went through her mind then, soothing her nerves that she hadn't realised had been fraying.

_"It is too soon for you to remember everything about yourself,"_ Boe said, though with a tinge of regret. _"You must be patient, and wait for it to come to you when the time is right. But you are not alone in this; please remember that. Your friends will be there for you when you need them, and you will need them. What is coming in your future will be terrifying, but I know you can face it, Ember..."_

The brunette nodded, only to then furrow her brow as she realised something. _"That's the first time you called me by my name..."_

_"Because this is very serious. I tend to use your name when it's that serious."_

_"Okay, Thanks. You've told me a lot, but can you give me one more?"_

A soft chuckle._ "Do not hesitate. Tell the Doctor how you feel."_

_"I've already told him everything I know so far. The dreams, the visions..."_

_"You misunderstand, Little Firebird. I meant, tell him how you __feel__."_

That made Ember falter, and she could feel her face heat up._ "J-Jack!"_

Another chuckle, but before he could say anything else, the tannoy spoke up again.

_"All staff will present themselves to the officers for immediate arrest. I repeat, immediate arrest. All new_ _life forms will be catalogued and taken into care. All visitors to the hospital will be required to make a statement to the NNYPD."_

Ember lifted her head and glanced around, shocked to find that Novice Hame and most of the other patients were now gone: It was just her, Boe and a few stragglers left. "Oh. Didn't realise that much time went past..."

_"And there they are..."_ Boe's voice made her tilt her head in puzzlement, but then she spotted the Doctor and Cass/Rose get out of the lift and run over to them.

"You were supposed to be dying." The Doctor said when he saw that the Face of Boe was awake.

_"There are better things to do today."_ He replied. _"Dying can wait."_

"Oh, I hate telepathy." Cass/Rose muttered. "Just what I need, a head full of big face."

"Shh!" The Doctor and Ember said at the same time.

_"I had grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew."_

The Doctor moved to kneel in front of the tank, next to Ember. "There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old."

_"There are? That would be impossible."_

"Wouldn't it just." The Doctor smiled before it fell. "I got the impression... there was something you wanted to tell me."

_"A great secret..."_

"So the legend says."

_"...It can wait."_

"Oh, does it have to?" The Doctor whined, pouting at Ember.

_"We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time, for the last time, and the truth shall be told. Until that day..."_

Ember leaned back as green light engulfed the tank, it and Boe disappearing when it faded.

"That is enigmatic. That, that is, that is textbook enigmatic." The Doctor took a breath before he stood and turned to face the possessed blonde. "And now for you."

Cass/Rose blinked. "But everything's happy. Everything's fine. Can't you just leave me?"

"And let you kill Rose?" Ember shot back. "You really think we'd do that?"

The Doctor looked at her firmly. "You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra."

Cass/Rose suddenly looked tearful. "I don't want to die!"

"No one does."

"Help me!"

"I can't..."

Ember caught sight of the patterned man from earlier. "But he can."

"Mistress!" Chip cried as he ran over to them.

"Oh, you're alive!" Cass/Rose said.

"I kept myself safe, just like the Ember-child told me to," Chip said, gesturing to the brunette. "For you, mistress."

Ember blinked as she stood up and moved to the Doctor's side. "Um, not quite what I meant, but to each his own..."

"A body..." Cass/Rose murmured in realisation. "And not just that, a volunteer..."

"Don't you dare." The Doctor said, quickly catching on. "He's got a life of his own."

"But I worship the mistress! I welcome her."

"You can't, Cassandra, you-" the Doctor stepped back as pink energy flew from Rose to Chip, and he and Ember quickly caught the blonde as she almost fell down. "Oh! You all right? Whoa! Okay?"

Rose looked a little worse for wear, but nodded. "Yeah. Hello!"

"Hello. Welcome back."

"Good to see you're you again," Ember added with a smile.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle."

Ember rolled her eyes as Cass/Chip looked at his arms. "Well, you modelled him after a pattern, of course you're a doodle!"

"I don't know how you do that, knowing things you shouldn't..."

"You can't stay in there." The Doctor cut in before an argument could break out. "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done."

"Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat." He tapped the little blue cap on his head. "But I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much. His heart is racing so... He's failing... I don't think he's going to last-"

He abruptly dropped to his knees, the Doctor following in concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Cass/Chip said, blinking slowly. "I'm dying, but that's fine."

"I can take you to the city..."

"No, you won't. Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me any more. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good."

The Doctor helped Chip up and began to lead him away when Ember tapped his shoulder. "Um, actually, there is one thing you can do for them..."

* * *

A quick trip in the Tardis brought them to a restaurant where Cassandra had once been: the same party that had been playing on a projector when Rose met her in the basement.

Ember had decided not to go with them, not wanting to see Cassandra die in the arms of her past self. She opted instead to wait in the Tardis, and soon enough, the Doctor and Rose returned. Rose seemed to sense the tension and declared that she was going to rest, and left the two Time Lords alone in the console room.

"Well, that happens a lot," Ember commented after several moments of silence. "The companion leaving us alone like this. You'd think there was something going on."

The Doctor discreetly looked at her as he fiddled with the console. "Yea, you'd think so..."

Ember bit her lip, thinking hard on what she and Boe had been discussing. "Um, Doctor..." She was about to say more, but the burning sensation chose then to come up, making her frown. "Really, now?!"

She jumped just as she saw the Doctor send her a sad smile.

* * *

And there we go. So Boe (or maybe Jack) knows something about Ember's powers and what she is. Will she find out soon?

Next Time: It's coming to the end of Part One of the Storms of Fire Saga. And what better way to close it with double trouble?


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Army of Ghosts

Ok, here's a two-partner to end this part of the series! At the end of chapter twenty, there will be a sneak peek at the next series, so be sure to look out for that!

* * *

Ember sighed as she landed on her feet after the jump. She wore her denim jacket, a dark blue top, black jeans and boots, thankful that she'd finished her shower and got dressed before the jump. Looking around, she recognised the streets of London and none other than the Powel Estate.

"Ember!"

The brunette turned at the call of her name, grinning when she saw Rose and the Tenth Doctor running up to her and laughing when the latter swept her in for a hug. "Hey guys!"

"Where did you just come from?" The Doctor asked after he let her go.

Ember shrugged. "New Earth. Dealt with Cassandra. What about you? Where are we now?"

"Home!" Rose said, shifting a large rucksack that was on her shoulders. It almost looked like she was going camping.

Suddenly, it became obvious where she was. Ember felt her mouth go dry. This was it: This was the day Rose would stop travelling with the Doctor.

"Ember?" The Doctor put his hand on her shoulder, looking concerned. "Are you alright?"

It took a moment for before Ember nodded and bit her lip. "Yea, I'm fine."

The Doctor gave her a look. "Is it bad?"

"Um..." what could she say? "It... will get very bad."

Now Rose looked concerned. "There's gonna be trouble?"

"Twice as much as usual..."

The Doctor pulled her into a one-armed hug, tucking her to his side in an attempt to comfort her. "It'll be alright, I promise."

Ember bit her lip again to stop herself from denying it out loud, letting the Time Lord lead her towards the flats. He had no idea how wrong he was...

The trip was fairly quick, and before Ember realised it, they were already at the Tyler's flat, Rose using her key to open the door.

"Mum, it's us!" Rose called. "We're back!"

Almost immediately, Jackie came from the kitchen with a frown on her face. "Oh, I don't know why you bother with that phone. You never use it!"

Rose grinned as she hugged her mother. "Shut up, come here!"

"Oh, I love you!"

"I love you!"

"I love you so much!" The mother surprised Ember by hugging her next. "Oh, you fiery thing, you! You're as good as my daughter too, you are!"

Ember blinked, unsure of what to say to that. "I-I am?"

"Oh, yes, you are!" Jackie caught the Doctor trying to sneak past them and grabbed him by the front of his jacket. "Oh no, you don't. Come here!" She pulled him to her and planted kisses on him, much to his discomfort and to the amusement of Rose and Ember. "Oh, you lovely big fella! Oh, you're all mine! Yes, you are!"

"Just... just, just put me down!" The Doctor whined as he was hugged and pecked before he was released, wiping his mouth with his hand and looking at Ember at the sound of her giggle. "Oh, you found that funny, did you?"

Ember nodded, though she was surprised when the Doctor stepped right up to her, put his hands on her shoulders and planted a firm peck on her forehead, each cheek and her lips. "Wha...?"

The Doctor gave her a cheeky wink as he released her. "There! Now we're even!"

The brunette stayed by the door as the Doctor moved to follow the mother and daughter further into the flat, shocked by what had just happened. He was just playing around... right? It couldn't have meant anything, just teasing...

Then why did her hearts skip a beat again?

Shaking her head, Ember put the thought aside for later as she caught up with the other three, just as Rose took off her rucksack and handed it to Jackie.

"I've got loads of washing for you. And I got you this." The younger blonde said, pulling out what looked like an ornate incense burner. "It's from the market on this asteroid bazaar. It's made of, um, what's it called?"

"Bazoolium." The Doctor supplied from where he was flicking through a magazine.

"Bazoolium. When it gets cold, yeah, it means it's going to rain. When it's hot, it's going to be sunny. You can use it to tell the weather."

Jackie barely even looked at the present. "I've got a surprise for you and all."

"Oh, I get her bazoolium, she doesn't even say thanks."

"Guess who's coming to visit?" Jackie continued. "You're just in time. He'll be here at ten past. Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know."

"Oh go on, guess."

"No, I hate guessing. Just tell me."

"It's your granddad. Granddad Prentice. He's on his way any minute. Right, cup of tea!"

The mother turned to go into the kitchen, leaving Rose looking confused.

"She's gone mad." She murmured.

The Doctor glanced at her. "Tell me something new."

"Granddad Prentice, that's her dad. But he died, like, ten years ago. Oh, my God. She's lost it." Rose quickly moved to stand in the kitchen doorway. "Mum? What you just said about granddad..."

Ember pulled the Doctor with her toward the kitchen. "You're gonna wanna see this."

The Doctor was puzzled, but didn't fight her as they moved to stand behind Rose, just as Jackie spoke. "Any second now."

"But he passed away." Rose said, trying to be gentle with her words. "His heart gave out. Do you remember that?"

"Of course I do."

"Then how can he come back?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself? Ten past. Here he comes." Jackie smiled as before their very eyes, a humanoid, ethereal shape walked through the wall and into the kitchen to stand beside her. "Here we are, then. Dad, say hello to Rose. Ain't she grown?"

The Doctor stared for a whole two seconds before he bolted, Ember right behind him with the mother and daughter not far behind. They ran out of the flat, down the stairs and out into the street, looking around in shock as severel more humanoid shapes wondered around, the people not even batting an eye at them as they went about whatever they were doing. "They're everywhere!"

"Doctor, look out!" Rose suddenly called, though it was too late as one of the shapes walked right through the Doctor, who shivered and looked very uncomfortable even as he gave Ember a reassuring nod to show that he hadn't been hurt.

"They haven't got long." Jackie said, looking completely at ease with the fact that strange shadow-things were walking around. "Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade."

The Doctor looked at her. "What do you mean, shift? Since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?"

"Oh, he's not happy when I know more than him, is he?"

The Doctor looked around again, watching as kids played football without any sign of being bothered by the shapes. "But no one's running or screaming or freaking out."

"Why should we? Here we go. Twelve minutes past."

And then, just like that, the shapes faded away without a trace. Again, no one so much as faltered at the event.

The Doctor looked at Ember again as she took his hand. "Any hints?"

"Not everything is as they appear." She murmured, turning to lead him back to the stairs. "And when you want something bad enough, your own mind can make you think it's real."

* * *

The four of them made their way back to the Tyler's flat, where the Doctor was quick to turn on the tv and start flicking through the channels as he and Ember sat on the floor in front of the tv. Every other programme had something to do with the shapes - or 'Ghosts' as many seemed to call them.

A man on one channel seemed to be monitoring them. _"On today's Ghostwatch, claims that some of the ghosts are starting to talk, and there seems to be a regular formation gathering around Westminster Bridge. It's almost like a military display..."_

The Doctor felt Ember squeeze his hand at that, and filed it away for later. "What the hell's going on?"

On a different channel was a weatherman, but he was also talking about the ghosts. _"And tonight we're expecting very strong ghosts from London, through the North and up into Scotland."_

Then there was a show similar to Jeremy Kyle, where the slogan read 'I married a dead man'._ "So basically, Eileen, what you're telling me is that you are in love with a ghost."_

_"He's my ghost, and I love him twenty four seven!"_

_"Well, no one needs me anymore!"_ A man known for hunting ghosts said on another channel.

The next channel was an advert with a classic housewife. _"My ghost was pale and grey until I discovered Ectoshine!"_

Then a French news channel. _"Et le President d'aujourd'hui, quelle est-"_

"It's all over the world." The Doctor said as he kept changing channels, showing India and even Japan were marketing ghost-themed memorabilia.

Even tv soaps were in on it, as shown by the actress who played Peggy Mitchell from Eastenders._ "Listen to me, Den Watts. I don't care if you have come back from the grave. Get out of my pub! The only spirits I'm serving in this place are gin, whisky and vodka. So, you heard me. Get out!"_

The Doctor finally turned off the tv and turned to look at Jackie, who was sat with Rose on the sofa. "When did it start?"

"Well, first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down-"

"No, I mean worldwide." The Doctor stopped her before she could get into it.

"Oh. That was about two months ago. Just happened. Woke up one morning, and there they all were. Ghosts, everywhere. We all ran round screaming and that. Whole planet was panicking. No sign of you, thank you very much. Then it sort of sank in. It took us time to realise that... we're lucky."

Rose looked at her. "What makes you think it's granddad?"

"It just feels like him. There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?"

"I wish I could, mum, but I can't."

"You've got to make an effort. You've got to want it, sweetheart."

"The more you want it, the stronger it gets." The Doctor said.

Jackie shrugged and nodded. "Sort of, yeah."

"Like a psychic link. Of course you want your old dad to be alive, but you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in."

"You're spoiling it."

"I'm sorry, Jackie, but there's no smell, there's no cigarettes. Just a memory." He squeezed Ember's hand. "Your own mind tricking you."

"But if they're not ghosts, what are they then?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, but they're human!" Jackie protested. "You can see them. They look human."

Rose tilted her head. "She's got a point. I mean, they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people."

"Maybe not." The Doctor said, looking at Ember, who bit her lip and nodded. "They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot."

* * *

The Doctor and Ember had gone back to the Tardis to get something ready to investigate the ghosts, though it wasn't long before Rose and Jackie made their way to the blue box themselves.

Rose stepped into the Tardis, holding a newspaper. "According to the paper, they've elected a ghost as MP for Leeds. Now don't tell me you're going to sit back and do nothing."

The Doctor, who had been below the console floor, popped up from the open section wearing a backpack and holding an attached hosepipe-like device. "Who you gonna call?"

"Ghostbusters!" Rose and Ember replied with wide smiles as the Doctor did a silly dance.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts!" He sang before he grabbed a set of metal cones and strode out of the Tardis, finding a space on the grass to set up the cones in a triangle, linked to each other with wires. "When's the next shift?"

"Quarter to. But don't go causing trouble." Jackie said, looking at the cones. "What's that lot do?"

"Triangulates their point of origin."

"I don't suppose it's the Gelth?" Rose asked.

Ember shook her head as the Doctor replied. "Nah. They were just coming through one little rift. This lot are transposing themselves over the whole planet. Like tracing paper."

Jackie rolled her eyes, watching him make sure the cones were in a perfect triangle. "You're always doing this. Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real? Just think of it, though. All the people we've lost. Our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?"

"I think it's horrific. Rose, give us a hand."

The mother looked at Ember in shock, only to be even more so when the brunette shook her head. "Sorry, Jackie. But I've seen it too many times. Coming back from the dead doesn't tend to be a good thing. Besides, if on the very slim chance that it _is_ the dead coming back, it should make you question what was so bad about being dead that made them come back."

Jackie gave her an almost pitying look before she followed Rose and the Doctor into the Tardis. Ember took the moment alone to ponder her own answer. Something about it made her hearts clench even as she'd said it. But what, and why?

The Doctor reappeared then, stopping when he saw Ember looking off to the side in thought. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, Yea, I'm fine." Ember shook her head and gave him a smile. "Just thinking, that's all."

"Can you tell me if this will work?"

"It will. But it will also draw attention, so be prepared."

Nodding, the Doctor got back to work, activating the cones as he called into the Tardis "What's the line doing?"

"It's all right. It's holding!" Rose called back from inside the blue box.

The Doctor worked on the devices a bit more. "Here we go!"

"The scanner's working. It says delta one six."

**"**Come on then, you beauty!" The Doctor grinned in triumph as one of the humanoid shapes appeared in the triangle the cones formed, seemingly stuck there, and pulled on a pair of old fashioned 3D glasses, activating a handheld. "Don't like that much, do you? Who are you? Where are you coming from?"

Ember moved forward a little. "Doctor, be careful..."

"Whoa!" The ghost tried to lash out, only for the Doctor to step out of range. "That's more like it! Not so friendly now, are you?"

"Well, of course not," Ember said sassily before the ghost disappeared. The brunette was quick to help the Doctor gather the cones and carry them back into the Tardis, where he set them off in moments to track the source after taking off his trench coat and throwing it over a railing.

"I said so! Those ghosts have been forced into existence from one specific point, and I can track down the source. Allons-y!" The Doctor said as he ran around the console before looking at Rose. "I like that. Allons-y. I should say allons-y more often. Allons-y. Look sharp, Rose Tyler. Allons-y, Ember! And then, it would be really brilliant if I met someone called Alonso, because then I could say, allons-y, Alonso, every time." He paused as her grin got more mischievous. "You're staring at me."

"My mum's still on board." Rose said.

The Doctor looked up at the railing that lined an upper section of the console room, looking almost devastated when he saw that it was true; Jackie was sat there, glaring daggers at him.

"If we end up on Mars, I'm going to kill you." She said flatly.

The Doctor turned to look at Ember, who was trying not to smile. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Three reasons." The brunette replied. "One; it's important that she's here. Two; she's safer with us. And three; I didn't want to interrupt you when you'd found a word you liked. And by the way, you will eventually meet someone called Alonso."

That seemed to cheer him up, as the Doctor came over to hug her before he got back to working on the console, tracking back the signal just like he'd said.

Ember, meanwhile, looked away in thought. She didn't want to lose Rose to the other universe, but there didn't seem to be a way around it. If she didn't, the Doctor would probably never meet Martha or Donna, or maybe he wouldn't regenerate, or something else that she couldn't think of at that moment. As much as she hated the fact, she had to stay out of it this time.

The Tardis falling still brought her out of her thoughts, and she moved to the Doctor's side as he brought up the scanner. On the screen, armed troops were quick to appear and surround the blue box, pointing their weapons. They seemed to be in some kind of loading dock.

"Oh well, there goes the advantage of surprise." The Doctor mused as Rose and Jackie joined him to look. "Still, cuts to the chase. Stay in here, look after Jackie."

"I'm not looking after my mum." Rose protested.

"Well, you brought her."

"I was kidnapped!"

Rose ran ahead of the Doctor to stand in front of him, blocking his path to the door. "Doctor, they've got guns."

"And I haven't." The Doctor easily moved her aside. "Which makes me the better person, don't you think? They can shoot me dead, but the moral high ground is mine."

With that, he stepped out of the Tardis, closing the door behind him. Jackie and Ember moved to the door so that the three of them could hear what was said outside.

"Oh! Oh, how marvellous." A woman's voice spoke after a few seconds. If Ember remembered right, this was Yvonne. "Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day!"

Rose blinked in puzzlement as they heard clapping. "What in the..."

Ember shrugged. "Yea. To them, he's famous."

"Er, thanks." The Doctor spoke, sounding as surprised as they were. "Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor."

"Oh, I should say. Hurray!" The woman started another round of applause.

"You, you've heard of me, then?"

"Well of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would be here. The Doctor and the Tardis."

More applause, even as the Doctor made gestures for them to stop. "And... And you are?"

"Oh, plenty of time for that. But according to the records, you're not one for travelling alone. The Doctor and his companion. That's a pattern, isn't it, right? There's no point hiding anything. Not from us. So where is she?"

There was a pause. "Yes. Sorry. Good point. She's just a bit shy, that's all."

The door opened slightly, and the Doctor blindly reached in, obviously looking for Rose. Ember gently pushed Jackie into the path, making her and Rose look at her in surprise before the Doctor pulled the mother out. "But here she is, Rose Tyler. Hmm. She's not the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that. And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty seven years. But she'll do."

"I'm forty!" Jackie said, aghast.

"Deluded. Bless. I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well, I say not bad. Anyway, lead on."

"Actually," Yvonne's voice made them pause. "There should be one more. A brunette. We saw her on the surveillance just before you arrived here. Where is she?"

"Damn," Ember muttered. "Sorry, Rose. Just stay here, wait for the signal." Before the blonde could question what she meant, Ember opened the door just enough for her to slip out and close it behind her. "Sorry, I'm kinda shy too."

To her surprise, Yvonne beamed at her, starting another round of applause. "Oh, it's you! Ember, The Great Fire! Oh, this is stupendous!"

Ember blinked, puzzled and a little bit unnerved as the soldiers clapped for her. "You know me?"

"Oh, yes. You're almost as famous as the Doctor. Although," Yvonne looked at her closely, ignoring how the Doctor moved slightly in front of her in a protective stance. "Are you wearing makeup? Our information told us that you have a scar on your face."

It took a moment before Ember nodded. "Yea, makeup. Who wants to look at a girl with an ugly scar on her face, right?"

The Doctor gently took her hand in his as he spoke to get the attention off of her. "Anyway. Were we going somewhere? Allons-y. But not too fast. Her ankle's going."

"I'll show you where my ankle's going." Jackie muttered to him as they were led away from the Tardis.

The Doctor ignored her in favour of leaning down slightly so he could speak to Ember without being heard. "Are you wearing makeup?"

"No," Ember replied just as softly. "But the less they know, the better."

Yvonne spoke at that moment, unaware of the exchange. "It was only a matter of time until you found us, and at last you've made it. I'd like to welcome you, Doctor. Welcome to Torchwood."

She pushed open a set of double doors, revealing a massive warehouse area with lots of crates, jeeps and trucks going around. To one side was a huge flying saucer.

The Doctor recognised the ship. "That's a Jathar Sunglider."

"Came down to Earth off the Shetland Islands ten years ago." Yvonne said.

"What, did it crash?"

"No, we shot it down. It violated our airspace. Then we stripped it bare. The weapon that destroyed the Sycorax on Christmas Day? That was us. Now, if you'd like to come with me." She led them away from the ship. "The Torchwood Institute has a motto: 'If it's alien, it's ours'. Anything that comes from the sky, we strip it down and we use it for the good of the British Empire."

Jackie blinked. "For the good of the what?"

"The British Empire."

"There isn't a British Empire."

"Not yet. Ah, excuse me. Now, if you wouldn't mind." Yvonne took a very big gun from a soldier and turned it so they could see it better. "Do you recognise this, Doctor?"

"That's a particle gun."

"Good, isn't it? Took us eight years to get it to work."

"It's the twenty first century. You can't have particle guns."

Yvonne shrugged. "We must defend our border against the alien." She handed the gun back to the soldier. "Thank you. Sebastian, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Sebastian." Yvonne smiled. "I think it's very important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is a very modern organisation. People skills. That's what it's all about these days. And you helped teach us that, miss Ember. I'm a people person."

The Time Lords looked at each other before the Doctor spoke. "Have you got anyone called Alonso?"

"No, I don't think so. Is that important?"

"No, I suppose not. What was your name?"

"Yvonne. Yvonne Hartman." The woman watched as the Doctor moved to pick up what looked like a black step stool with a big handle on top. "Ah, yes. Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magnaclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object and it cancels the mass. I could use it to lift two tonnes of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric."

"I could do with that to carry the shopping." Jackie mused, half serious.

Yvonne gave her a look like one would to a toddler. "All these devices are for Torchwood's benefit, not the general public's."

Ember shook her head. "Typical government mindset. Willing to keep anything that helps them to themselves."

The Doctor looked at Yvonne. "So, what about these ghosts?"

"Ah yes, the ghosts. They're... what you might call a side effect."

"Of what?"

"All in good time, Doctor. There is an itinerary, trust me."

At that moment, a large truck drove by with a familiar blue box on the back of it. Jackie saw it and paled. "Oi! Where are you taking that?"

"If it's alien, it's ours."

"You'll never get inside it." The Doctor said nonchalantly.

Yvonne looked smug. "Hmm! Et cetera."

Ember knew that Rose would be peeking out of the box right about now, so she spoke to draw the woman's attention. "The assembled hordes of Gangis Khan couldn't get in. I can count on one hand how many races are out there who can, and you're not one of them."

Yvonne faltered for a split second, but was quick to cover it up. "If you'll follow me."

As she turned and led them away, the Doctor took Ember's hand again, squeezing it twice to let her know that her distraction worked.

They followed the woman - not like they had a choice with the armed men surrounding them - to a lift that took them to another floor, and then down a corridor. The Doctor finally spoke to break the silence. "All those times I've been on Earth, I've never heard of you."

"But of course not." Yvonne said. "You're the enemy. You're actually named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as an enemy of the Crown."

"1879..." The Doctor thought for a moment before he remembered. "That was called Torchwood, that house in Scotland."

"That's right. Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf."

Jackie shook her head. "I think he makes half of it up."

"Her Majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great, and fighting the alien horde."

"But if I'm the enemy, does that mean that I'm a prisoner?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh yes. However, miss Ember was actually quite favoured by the queen." Yvonne's reply surprised the brunette. "So we'll make you perfectly comfortable. And there is so much you can teach us. Starting with this."

She led them through another door, revealing a large room that had some computers to one side. On the far side of the room was a huge, black sphere, suspended off the ground as though by nothing with a small ramp set up under it.

Ember froze as soon as she laid eyes on the sphere. The feeling of _wrong_ hit her like a brick, making her breath hitch as she stared.

The show yet again didn't do it justice. It felt like her very soul was shuddering at the sight of this thing that _should not be here._

"Now, what do you make of that?" Yvonne asked, seeing the Doctor and Ember both staring at the sphere.

An Indian man approached them from the computers. "You must be the Doctor. Rajesh Singh. It's an honour, sir."

"Yeah." The Doctor didn't even look at him, ignoring his offered hand and moving to look more closely at the sphere.

"What is that thing?" Jackie asked.

"We've got no idea." Yvonne replied.

"But what's wrong with it?"

Rajesh looked at her. "What makes you think there's something wrong with it?"

Jackie shook her head. "I don't know. It just feels weird."

"Well, the sphere has that effect on everyone." Yvonne said. "Makes you want to run and hide, like it's forbidden."

Ember visibly shuddered. That was putting it mildly.

"We tried analysing it using every device imaginable." Rajesh said, puzzled but not commenting when the Doctor put on his 3D glasses and got on the ramp to look at another angle. "But according to our instruments, the sphere doesn't exist. It weighs nothing, it doesn't age. No heat, no radiation, and has no atomic mass."

Jackie looked at him in confusion. "But I can see it."

"Fascinating, isn't it? It upsets people because it gives off nothing. It is absent."

Yvonne turned to the Doctor. "Well, Doctor?"

"This is a Void Ship."

"And what is that?"

"Well, it's impossible for starters." The Doctor took off the glasses and moved to sit on the steps of the ramp. "I always thought it was just a theory, but it's a vessel designed to exist outside time and space, travelling through the Void."

"And what's the Void?" Rajesh asked.

"The space between dimensions. There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions, billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in between, containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that. Nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down, no life, no time. Without end. My people called it the Void. The Eternals call it the Howling. But some people call it Hell."

"But someone built the sphere. What for? Why go there?"

"To explore? To escape? You could sit inside that thing and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang, end of the Universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides. You'd exist outside the whole of creation."

Yvonne smiled in triumph. "You see, we were right. There _is_ something inside it."

"Oh, yes."

"So how do we get in there?" Rajesh asked.

"We don't! We send that thing back into Hell. How did it get here in the first place?"

"Well, that's how it all started." Yvonne replied. "The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake."

"Show me." The Doctor turned to leave, only to finally notice that Ember hadn't spoken or moved from the spot since she laid eyes on the sphere, and seemed unable to look away. "Ember?"

"... it shouldn't be here..."

The Doctor barely heard her quiet murmur as he walked right up to her. "Ember, what is it?"

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Jackie asked, putting her hand on the brunette's shoulder as Yvonne and Rajesh moved closer.

Ember barely heard them, not taking her eyes off of the sphere. That part of her, deep down, perhaps in her subconscious, could somehow feel how wrong it was for the sphere to be in this universe. That same something was driving her with a need to get rid of it, or to get away from it; it was hard to tell which way it went. "... can we go now? Please? I don't want to be in here..."

The Doctor pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin and forcing her to stop looking at the sphere. He could feel her trembling so much it was a wonder that no one could see it. "It's ok, you're alright..."

"... can we go now?"

"Yea, we're going." The Doctor led her to the door and out of the room, initially taking a left only to be called back by Yvonne to go the other way. It was only when they were in the lift heading for the top floor that Ember finally stopped shaking. "Better?"

Ember nodded, though she still hadn't moved out of his embrace, which he had noticed. "Yea. Thanks."

"No one has had a reaction that intense to it before," Yvonne said, having closely watched the brunette the whole time. "People normally just feel uneasy around it, but they get used to it."

Ember shivered at the thought of being anywhere near that sphere again. "Well, I'm not really a normal person. Call it a sixth sense, but I doubt I'll ever get used to it, and don't ever want a chance to find out. That sphere is just... wrong. It shouldn't be here."

The lift reached the top floor, opening to reveal another huge floor. Yvonne walked left, through a door that led to a long room that had several desks with people sat at them facing a white wall, which Yvonne led them to. "The sphere came through here. A hole in the world. Not active at the moment, but when we fire particle engines at that exact spot, the breech opens up."

"How did you even find it?" The Doctor asked, checking that Ember was okay before he went to the wall to examine it.

"We were getting warning signs for years. A radar black spot. So we built this place, Torchwood Tower. The breech was six hundred foot above sea level. It was on the only way to reach it."

The Doctor looked at her in surprise. "You built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance? How much money have you got?"

"Too much," Ember said at the same time Yvonne said "Enough." Which made the older woman look at the brunette.

Jackie had gone to the nearest window - which happened to be in an office with a glass petition at the back of the room - and recognised where they were. "Hold on a minute. We're in Canary Wharf. Must be. This building, it's Canary Wharf."

"Well, that is the public name for it." Yvonne said, moving into the office. "But to those in the know, it's Torchwood."

The Doctor leaned on the doorframe of her office. "So you find the breach, probe it, the sphere comes through: six hundred feet above London, bam. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality. And that hole, you think, 'oh, shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off? Shall we play it safe?' Nah, you think 'let's make it bigger!'"

"It's a massive source of energy. If we can harness that power, we need never depend on the Middle East again. Britain will become truly independent." Yvonne moved to step out of her office. "Look, you can see for yourself. Next Ghost Shift's in two minutes."

The Doctor turned to follow her. "Cancel it."

"I don't think so."

"I'm warning you, cancel it."

"Oh, exactly as the legends would have it." Yvonne said as she turned to face him. "The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the Rights of Man."

Ember rolled her eyes. "No, he isn't. He's trying to help. Messing with things like this is a very bad idea, and always leads to people getting hurt."

Yvonne looked at her. "You were said to be the voice of reason. But we're not stopping."

"Let me show you. Sphere comes through." The Doctor moved back into the office and pointed his screwdriver at the glass petition, making a small hole in one of the 'o's of the word 'Torchwood' that made small cracks spread along the glass. "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines." He imitated walking with two fingers. "Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours, with the human race hoping and wishing and helping them along. But too many ghosts, and..."

He gently tapped the cracked glass, and it shattered into tiny pieces.

Yvonne stepped back to avoid getting glass on her shoes. "Well, in that case we'll have to be more careful. Positions! Ghost Shift in one minute."

"Miss Hartman, I am asking you, please don't do it." The Doctor said as he walked out of the office to face her.

"We have done this a thousand times."

"Then stop at a thousand!"

"We're in control of the ghosts. The levers can open the breach, but equally they can close it."

The two stared each other down for a few seconds, and then Ember spoke. "Well, you put in your two cents, Doctor. Best leave them to it."

"Okay." The Doctor complied easily, moving back into the office to grab a wheeled chair and bring it into the main section to sit on.

Yvonne blinked, taken aback by how easily he'd backed down. "Sorry?"

"Never mind. As you were."

"What, is that it?"

"No, fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind me." The Doctor sat on the chair, looking at one of the guys at the desks. "Any chance of a cup of tea?"

A dark-skinned woman who looked exactly like Martha spoke in an even tone with almost no emotion in it. "Ghost Shift in twenty seconds."

The Doctor shrugged in mock excitement. "Mmm, can't wait to see it."

"You can't stop us, Doctor." Yvonne said.

"Does it look like he's trying to?" Ember asked as she moved to stand beside the Doctor.

"No, absolutely not. Pull up a chair, Rose." The Doctor waved Jackie over to his other side. "Come and watch the fireworks."

"Ghost Shift in ten seconds." The woman continued. "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two-"

"Stop the shift." Yvonne said suddenly, cracking under the Doctor's even stare. "I said stop."

The power whirred down as the Doctor nodded. "Thank you."

"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible. But the programme will recommence, as soon as you've explained everything."

"I'm glad to be of help."

"And someone clear up this glass. They did warn me, Doctor. They said you like to make a mess."

* * *

A short time later, the Doctor, Ember, Jackie and Yvonne were in sat or standing in the office, discussing the possibilities of the sphere and the breach.

"So these ghosts, whatever they are, did they build the sphere?" Yvonne asked from her chair.

"Must have." The Doctor mused as he sat with his feet up on the desk, though he noticed Ember bite her lip and look down. "Aimed it at this dimension like a cannon ball."

A small laptop on the desk beeped, and Rajesh could be heard from it._ "Yvonne? I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor."_

Yvonne looked at the screen before she turned it so that the rest of the room could see Rajesh sat next to Rose, who was wearing a lab coat now. "She one of yours?"

"Never seen her before in my life." The Doctor said casually.

"Good. Then we can have her shot."

The Doctor took his feet off the desk with a sigh. "Oh, all right then. It was worth a try. That's, that's Rose Tyler."

_"Sorry." _Rose said with a sheepish wave._ "Hello."_

Yvonne looked at Jackie, who was leaning against the wall next to Ember. "Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's she?"

"I'm her mother."

"Oh, you travel with her mother?"

"He kidnapped me!"

The Doctor gave Yvonne a pleading look. "Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I travelled through time and space with her mother."

Ember heard a clunk and looked out of the office to see the two men and one woman typing away at their computers, starting up the system.

"Charming." Jackie said, not having heard the sound.

"I've got a reputation to uphold."

Yvonne saw where Ember's attention was now focused and stood up from her desk. "Excuse me? Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost shift. Who started the programme? But I ordered you to stop! Who's doing that?" The levers on either side of the room starting moving by themselves. "Right, step away from the monitors, everyone."

The three people at their desks ignored her, continuing to type away even as Yvonne walked to each of them. "Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing, right now. Matt, step away from your desk. That's an order! Stop the levers! Andrew!"

Two man in lab coats ran over to one of the levers, trying to push it back but only slowing down the process.

"Stop the levers!"

The Doctor focused on the Addy. "What's she doing?"

"Addy, step away from the desk." Yvonne said as they moved to the woman's desk. She didn't even acknowledge them, even as the Doctor snapped his fingers in front on her face. "Listen to me. Step away from the desk."

"She can't hear you. They're overriding the system. We're going into Ghost Shift."

Ember pat his arm and pointed to the extra earpiece that the woman was wearing, knowing that the Doctor would recognise it. "Look familiar?"

"It's the ear piece. It's controlling them. I've seen this before." The Doctor straightened as he got his Sonic out and pointed it at the earpiece. "Sorry. I'm so sorry."

He turned on the Sonic, and Addy screamed, along with Gareth and Matt, before all three of them slumped over.

"What happened?" Yvonne asked. "What did you just do?"

"They're dead."

Jackie looked shocked. "You killed them?"

"Oh, someone else did that long before I got here."

"But you killed them!"

Ember grabbed her shoulder. "No he didn't. They were already dead, just puppets."

"What are those ear pieces?" Yvonne asked as she moved to look closer.

The Doctor barely called out a "Don't" as he moved to another desk, gently easing Matt away before he tried to reverse the system on his computer.

"But they're standard comms devices. How does it control them?"

"Trust me, leave them alone."

"But what are they?" Before Ember could stop her, Yvonne reached over and pulled off one of the earpieces that Addy had; only for a string of grey matter to come with it. "Urgh! Oh, God! It goes inside their brain!"

The Doctor tried another computer. "What about the Ghost Shift?"

"Ninety percent there and still running. Can't you stop it?"

"They're still controlling it. They've hi-jacked the system."

"Who's they?"

"It might be a remote transmitter but it's got to be close by. I can trace it." He got out the Sonic again and fuddled with it to find the signal and follow it out of the room. "Jackie, stay here!"

Ember gave Jackie a nod as she ran to follow the Doctor and Yvonne out into the corridor, just as the older woman called to the two scientists attempting to hold the levers down. "Keep those levers down! Keep them offline!"

They followed the signal, joined by two soldiers at Yvonne's request, to a section that looked to be in construction, with plastic sheeting lining where walls or doors would be placed.

"What's down here?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't, I don't know." Yvonne said, looking around the dark room. "I think it's building work. It's just renovations."

"You should go back."

"Think again. What is it? What's down here?"

"Ear pieces, ear pods." The Doctor glanced at Ember, who nodded. "This world's colliding with another, and I think I know which one."

Yvonne gasped as she spotted tall, humanoid figures suddenly appear behind the plastic sheets. "What are they?"

"They came through first. The advance guard. Cybermen!"

The Cybers easily tore open the plastic sheets and stepped through, unconcerned when the two soldiers began to shoot at them. It wasn't long before the two armed men were easily killed by the Cybers.

"Put your hands up!" Ember said quickly as she put both hands behind her head, the Doctor and Yvonne quick to follow.

"You will follow." The Cyber in front of them said in its monotone voice.

The Doctor stayed close to Ember as they were marched out of the plastic sheets and back they way they'd come. "How bad is this going to get?"

"Twice as bad as it looks like right now," Ember replied softly.

Without any way to fight back, the three were swiftly escorted back to the lever room.

"Get away from the machines." The Doctor called as soon as they entered the room and saw the scientists at the levers. "Do what they say. Don't fight them!"

But he was too late. The Cybers swiftly used a weapon on their arms and killed the scientists before they could even move.

"What are they?" Jackie asked, fearfully leaning against the wall.

The leader of the Cybers turned to her._ "We are the Cybermen. The Ghost Shift will be increased to one hundred percent."_

It pressed the logo on its chest with one fist, and the levers began to move up on their own once more. _"Online."_

"Here come the ghosts." The Doctor murmured as the back wall became what seemed like a wall of light, and several of the ghosts appeared to stand in rows before them.

Jackie was now stood with the other captives that had now been herded into Yvonne's office. "But these Cybermen, what've they got to do with the ghosts?"

The Doctor looked like he wasn't in the mood to explain. "Do you never listen? A footprint doesn't look like a boot."

_"Achieving full transfer."_ The leader said. After a few moments, the blurry shapes solidified and became what they really were.

"They're Cybermen. All of the ghosts are Cybermen. Millions of them, right across the world."

"They're invading the whole planet." Yvonne said.

The Doctor shook his head. "It's not an invasion. It's too late for that. It's a victory." He finally spotted Yvonne's laptop, or more specifically the screen that it had as it announced_ "Sphere activated. Sphere activated. Sphere activated."_ He then moved to the front of the group and addressed the leading Cyber. "But I don't understand. The Cybermen don't have the technology to build a Void Ship. That's way beyond you. How did you create that sphere?"

_"The sphere is not ours."_ The Cyberleader said, seeing no reason to lie.

"What?"

_"The sphere broke down the barriers between worlds. We only followed. Its origin is unknown."_

"...Then what's inside it?" The Doctor looked at Ember. "Do you know?"

The brunette nodded, biting her lip again. At this rate it was going to be bruised for a while. "And it's something worse than Cybers."

"Rose is down there." Jackie said, worried for her daughter.

"And she's smart. She'll be safe, and she's not alone down there. Rajesh is there, as well as a familiar face." Ember said. "I can't tell you more. I'm sorry, but we have to wait."

The three of them looked at the screen again, eyeing the flashing warnings with dread.

* * *

Aaaaand there we have it! A cliffhanger! Part two won't be long though, promise!

Next Time: Ember makes a decision, but will it work? Or will it give her an answer she may end up regretting asking for?


	20. Chapter Twenty: Doomsday

Okay, here's the final chapter! More info about what comes next will be at the end, as well as a question.

* * *

The Doctor kept Ember slightly behind him as they and the other captives were gathered in Yvonne's office while the Cybermen prepared for the next stage of their plan. The laptop that sat on the office desk still displayed the words 'Sphere acitivated'.

"What's down there?" Jackie asked, still worried about her daughter. "She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Rose?"

"I don't know." The Doctor replied impatiently, then softened as the mother began to weep. "I'll find her. I brought you here, I'll get you both out, you and your daughter." He put his hands on the mother's shoulders to make her face him. "Jackie, look at me. Look at me. I promise you. I give you my word."

"And mine," Ember added, making them look at her. "She's smart. She'll have found a way to stay safe. She'll be fine."

The Cyberleader approached Yvonne, who was sat at her desk. _"You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender."_

"Oh, do some research." Yvonne rolled her eyes. Everyone had to commend her for her brave face. "We haven't got a central world authority."

_"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelengths."_ The Cyberleader pressed the logo on its chest, supposedly setting up a signal to be heard around the world. _"This broadcast is for human kind. Cybermen now occupy every land mass on this planet, but you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and colour and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."_

The Doctor put on the 3D glasses from before, looking at the Cybermen around them. He kept one hand holding Ember's, as though afraid they would take her from him if he let go.

It was only a matter of time before they heard gunfire from outside, and looked out of the windows to see that the army had risen to fight the Cybers despite the number disadvantage, using weapons like bazookas to make up for it. London was soon spouting several fires in the battle.

_"I ordered surrender."_ The Cyberleader said.

The Doctor sent it an incredulous look. "They're not taking instructions. Don't you understand? You're on every street, you're in their homes, you've got their children! Of course they're gonna fight!"

The battle went on for a short time longer before something new was brought to attention.

_"Scans detect unknown technology active within Sphere chamber."_ The Cyberleader said. _"Units ten six five and ten six six will investigate Sphere chamber."_

The Doctor looked at Ember. "Hint?"

"Whatever you're expecting, add an extra suitcase of bad and then double it. Twice." Ember said, keeping her eyes on the laptop.

_"Units open visual link."_ The screen changed to show footage from a Cybers viewpoint, similar to a first person view in a game. _"Visual contact established."_

Everyone watched the screen for several moments, and then just as the Cyber turned the corner, something else came through a door into the same corridor and into the view of the screen.

A large machine that could be mistaken for a comical gold pepperpot, with what looked like a plunger and a laser gun sticking out of the front and one eyestalk at the front with two lights on the top.

If the Doctor was tense before, he stiffened to rival stone at the sight of what could only be a Dalek. Ember wasn't far behind; that deep anger rearing its head once again at the sight.

_"Identify yourselves!"_ The Dalek said.

_"You will identify first."_ The voice of the Cyber could be heard.

_"State your identity!"_

_"You will identify first."_

_"Identify!"_

Ember squeezed the Doctor's hand, surprised when he returned the gesture.

_"...You will modify."_ The Cyber demanded.

_"Daleks do not take orders!"_

_"You have identified as Daleks."_

Jackie nudged the Doctor. "Rose said about the Daleks. She was terrified of them. What have they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?"

The Doctor turned to her and spoke quietly. "Phone."

"What?"

"Phone!"

The mother handed him her phone, Ember shifting so that she was blocking any view of it as the Cyber continued to talk on the screen. _"We followed in the wake of your sphere."_

The Doctor quickly dialed Rose's number, and after a moment he let out a breath. "She's answered. She's alive. Why haven't they killed her?"

Jackie had covered her mouth in relief, but then frowned. "Well, don't complain!"

"They must need her for something." A pause as he listened. "The Genesis Ark?"

Ember nodded. "Here's a hint; it's not theirs. And they need to see you. They need to know that it isn't just Cybers they're messing with."

_"Our species are similar, though your design is inelegant."_ The Cyber on the screen spoke, getting the Doctor's attention as he slipped on the 3D glasses again, quickly using them to look at the Dalek on the screen.

_"Daleks have no concept of elegance."_ The Dalek replied.

_"This is obvious. But consider, our technologies are compatible. Cybermen plus Daleks. Together, we could upgrade the Universe."_

_"You propose an alliance?"_

_"This is correct."_

_"Request denied!"_

A Cyber arm came into view as the owner raised it to point at the Dalek. _"Hostile elements will be deleted."_

They shot at the Dalek, but they didn't even make it falter as it shouted_ "Exterminate!"_ And sent out two shots, the second making the image go to static.

_"Open visual link."_ The Cyberleader ordered, and the image changed to show a new Dalek; a sleek, black one. _"Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen."_

_"This is not war. This is pest control!"_ The Dalek shot back.

_"We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?"_

_"Four."_

_"You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?"_

_"We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek! You are superior in only one respect."_

_"What is that?"_

_"You are better at dying."_ The Doctor moved behind the Cyberleader as though to get something, knowing he'd be seen by the Daleks. _"Raise communications barrier!"_

The Doctor pulled the phone away from his ear. "Lost her."

Ember tugged his hand gently to get his attention. "Doctor, since when do Daleks willingly banter like that?"

That made him look at the brunette in puzzlement. "They don't. So why did they now?"

"They're not your average Daleks."

_"Quarantine the Sphere chamber."_ The Cyberleader commanded. _"Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel."_

Cybers approached and took Yvonne and Jackie by the arms as the other surviving captives were taken as well.

"No, you can't do this!" Yvonne cried. "We surrendered! We surrendered!"

Another Cyber was about to grab Ember when the Doctor pulled her behind him with a stern glare. The Cyberleader spoke. _"Keep these two. Their increased adrenaline suggests that they have vital Dalek information."_

"Stop them! I don't want to go!" Jackie cried as she was pulled away. "You promised me! You gave me your word!"

"I demand you leave that woman alone!" The Doctor tried to make them stop, but they didn't listen. "I won't help you if you hurt her. Jackie, don't fight. I'll think of something!"

Ember moved so that she could see Jackie just before she was pulled from the room. "Just stay alert! I promise you'll be fine!"

The Doctor kept Ember behind him as he moved to the window, looking out at the chaos below. "Do you know how many won't make it?"

He felt the brunette shake her head against his back. "It was never specified. But this goes down in history as the Battle of Canary Wharf. And afterwards, there'll be a list of the dead, including people whose bodies won't be found."

"And Jackie?"

"They'll be distracted soon. She'll use it to escape."

The Cyberleader approached them. _"You are proof."_

"Of what?" The Doctor asked.

_"That emotions destroy you."_

"Yeah, we are." The Doctor heard a sound and looked behind the Cyberleader. "Mind you... I quite like hope. Hope's a good emotion. And here it comes."

In a flash of light, a group of black-clad commandoes popped into existence in the lever room. One shout and they took out the Cybers that were in the room. The Cyberleader moved out of the office only to get shot next, causing its head to explode as the Doctor pulled Ember with him to take cover.

One of the men, his face covered by a mask, turned to face them as they slowly came out of their hiding spot. "Doctor? Good to see you again."

The Doctor recognised the voice even as the man removed the mask to reveal a blonde young man. "Jake?"

"The Cybermen came through from one world to another, and so did we." The man said as the Doctor put on the 3D glasses to look at the new arrivals. He turned to his men. "Defend this room. Chrissie, monitor communications. Kill one CyberLeader and they just download into another. Move!" He looked at Ember, who the Doctor was still keeping behind him even though she peered over his shoulder. "Good to see you again, Ember."

The brunette shrugged. "Haven't met you yet, but good to see you too."

The Doctor took off the glasses and spoke before Jake could question her. "You can't just, just, just hop from one world to another. You can't!"

"We just did. With these." A big yellow button on a chain was tossed to the Doctor, who noticed that all of them had the same thing.

"But that's impossible. You can't have this sort of technology."

"We've got our own version of Torchwood. They developed it. Do you want to come and see?"

"No!" The Doctor cried, but was too late as Jake hit the button he had. Both he and the Doctor vanished, leaving Ember in the room. The brunette, unsure of what to do, wandered back into the office to look out of the window while she waited.

To her surprise, someone was already at the window. It was the red-cloaked stranger who'd been in the church. "Oh. What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would check on you." He replied, seemingly looking down at the city below. "So much conflict. So much chaos."

Ember moved to his side. "That's the human race for you. So, where are we then? Has the Doctor met you yet?"

"Only twice at this point. But that's not why I'm here." The hood moved slightly, and Ember was sure that he was looking at her now. "Today will mark a turn for you. You are facing a difficult decision."

"I'm going to assume you mean Rose," Ember said, shaking her head. "What do I do? If I save her, who knows what that will mean for the Doctor's future companions. But if I let it happen... he'll be angry..."

The hood turned back to the window. Ember tried to look under it via the reflection of the glass, but couldn't make anything out. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you what to do. As I told you before, I cannot directly influence things in this plane."

"Must suck for you," Ember retorted softly, surprised when he chuckled. "Who are you? You showed me something when we first met to prove I can trust you, but I don't even know where I could have gotten that to give to you in the first place, and I don't know anything else about you. You're clearly some powerful being, since you can appear and disappear and also be invisible. But you can't get involved, even though your happy to talk to me."

The male chuckled again. "I am just as much a mystery as you are, dearest Ember."

"But you know what you are, I'm assuming. I don't know what I am, why I'm here or where I came from. I'm getting powers I never thought I'd have, including visions of alternate futures and apparently I'm the 'Mother of Elements'. Even the Doctor couldn't figure me out, and when he does know he can't tell me because we apparently find out at the same time."

"I know you are very confused, but it will become clear in time." The male said after a moment. "In fact, it will not be long before you start to get more clues as to your origins. But with that will be conflict; in your hearts and your mind. By the end of today, you will be faced with troubles both physical and mental, but I know that you have what it takes to overcome these obstacles. As I said in our last meeting, keep those you trust close to you."

Ember sighed and was about to speak, but then she heard a sound behind her. She turned to look, to find the Doctor, Jake and an alternate reality's version of Pete Tyler had appeared in the lever room. The brunette looked back at the window to find herself alone once again.

"First of all, I need to make a phone call. You don't mind?" The Doctor told the other two as he ran into the office and to the phone that was on the desk.

Jake looked over at two of his comrades. "You two, guard the door."

Ember moved to the Doctor's side as he dialled Jackie's phone, letting out a breath when it was answered. "Jackie, you're alive. Listen..."

_"They tried to download me but I ran away!"_ Jackie was speaking loud enough for Ember to hear her side of the conversation. _"I stayed alert, just like Ember said-"_

"Shush. Listen, tell me. Where are you?"

_"I don't know! Staircase!"_

"Yeah, which one? Is there any sort of sign? Anything to identify it?"

_"Yes, a fire extinguisher!"_

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that helps-"

_"Oh, wait a minute. It says N3."_

"North corner, staircase three. Just keep low, we're trying our best."

_"No, don't leave me!"_

"I've got to go. I'm sorry." The Doctor hung up and turned to face Pete. "Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler."

The man gave him a look. "She's not my wife."

"I was at the wedding. You got her name wrong." The Doctor next turned to Jake, taking the gun off of him to fiddle with it. "Now then, Jakey boy, if I can open up the bonding chamber on this thing, it'll work on polycarbite."

"What's polycarbite?"

"Skin of a Dalek."

Ember looked at Pete, finding it odd that she wasn't feeling the sense of _wrong_ that she kept feeling around the man like she had before. The thought made her think of the event leading to the death of this reality's Pete. "Um, stupid question, but do you know a couple called Stuart Hoskins and Sarah Clark?"

Pete looked at her in confusion. "Yeah. They got married about twenty years ago. Why?"

"Did you go to the wedding?"

"I was supposed to, but I got the flu and had to stay home." Ember nodded, looking thoughtful, which in turn made Pete curious. "Why did you ask that?"

The brunette tried to think of a good excuse, but then sighed. "This world's Pete went to the wedding. He got hit by a car."

Pete looked away as the two of them watched the Doctor tape a piece of plain paper to a pencil and leave the room, much to the confusion of the onlookers.

Jake looked at Ember. "Where's he going?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Ember said simply. "And we need reinforcements. So he's getting them."

Pete seemed to figure it out quick. "Wait, he's going to ask the Cybermen for help? Are you insane?"

"Believe me, the Daleks are far more dangerous than you'll ever know. You should count yourself lucky that your world doesn't seem to have them."

"What are Daleks, anyway?"

"Self-proclaimed supreme race. Worse than Cybers, because a Cyber would want you alive for your brain. As far as a Dalek is concerned, anything that isn't a Dalek must die."

That made the two men look at each other in puzzlement. Was it a trick of the light, or did her eyes turn completely silver for a moment?

* * *

After the Doctor had returned with a couple of Cybermen, having done the impossible and formed a temporary truce with the machines, the Doctor opted to go ahead to be a distraction and would give them a signal when to attack. He had at first insisted that Ember stay behind, but the brunette was more so to go with him.

They reached the door to the sphere chamber when they heard Rose talking. "Till he met me and Ember. Because if these are going to be my last words, then you're going to listen. We met the Emperor, and with Ember's help I took the Time Vortex and I pulled it into his head and turned him into dust. Do you get that? The God of all Daleks, and I destroyed him. Ha!"

_"You will be exterminated!"_ The black Dalek cried.

The Doctor moved to stand in the middle of the doorway, his 3D glasses on and Ember safely behind him. "Oh now, hold on, wait a minute."

The four Daleks, Rose and Mickey turned to see them as the black Dalek spoke._ "Alert! Alert! You are the Doctor!"_

_"Sensors report he is unarmed."_ One of the gold Daleks added.

"That's me. Always." The Doctor said as he took off the glasses and approached. He noticed that the sphere had somehow vanished, which was a relief since he didn't want Ember to be distracted by it.

_"Then you are powerless!"_

"Not me. Never."

Ember leaned to peek around him so that the Daleks saw her. "Not with me around."

To her surprise, the Daleks seemed to panic when they saw her, more so than when they saw the Doctor._ "Alert! It is the Predator of the Flames! Alert!"_

"Whoa, let's not lose our cool here," the Doctor said, pulling Ember back to him as he saw how agitated the Daleks were at her presence. He turned to Rose. "How are you?"

The blonde shrugged. "Oh, same old, you know..."

"Good. And Mickity McMickey. Nice to see you!"

Mickey smiled as he fist-bumped with the Time Lord. "And you, boss. You too, Ember."

_"Social interaction will cease!"_ The first gold Dalek demanded.

_"How did you survive the Time War?"_ The black Dalek asked the Doctor.

"By fighting. On the front line. I was there at the Fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that." He took a minut moment to think on that before he addressed the Daleks again. "But you lot ran away!"

_"We had to survive."_

"The last four Daleks in existence. So what's so special about you?"

Ember glanced at Rose. "They've got something that Daleks don't normally have, right?"

Blinking, Rose understood. "Doctor, they've got names. I mean, Daleks don't have names, do they? One of them said they were-"

_"I am Dalek Thay!"_ The first gold Dalek said.

_"Dalek Sek."_ The black Dalek

_"Dalek Jast."_

_"Dalek Caan."_ Ember had to cringe slightly at that one. She knew that that particular Dalek was going to be more trouble than the others in future.

The Doctor's eyes widened in realisation as he began to wander around the Daleks, keeping Ember close to him by holding her hand. "So that's it! At last. The Cult of Skaro. I thought you were just a legend."

"Who are they?" Rose asked.

"A secret order, above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine, think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names. All to find new ways of killing."

Mickey gestured to the large contraption in the middle of the floor: the Genesis Ark. "But that thing, they said it was yours. I mean, Time Lords. They built it. What does it do?"

"I don't know." The Doctor admitted, looking over it. "Never seen it before."

Rose blinked. "But it's Time Lord."

"You can't know everything about your race." Ember pointed out.

"Both sides had secrets." The Doctor agreed before he turned to Dalek Sek. "What is it? What have you done?"

_"Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy." _Sek replied.

"What does that mean? What sort of Time Lord science? What do you mean?"

Rose spoke up again. "They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up."

"Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do. Touch." The Doctor looked right at the eyestalk of Dalek Sek, lowering his voice to taunt it. "Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything ever, from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage. Completely alone. That explains your voice. No wonder you scream."

Dalek Sek almost shook as it demanded _"The Doctor will open the Ark!"_

The Doctor gave a sort of scoffing laugh as he turned away. "The Doctor will not."

_"You have no way of resisting."_

"Well, you got me there. Although there is always this." He held out his Sonic.

_"A sonic probe?"_

"That's screwdriver."

_"It is harmless!"_

"Oh, yes. Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it." The Doctor flipped the Sonic in his hand. "Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell you what it does do. It is very good at opening doors."

With one press of the button, the doors to the room exploded inwards. Jake and a Cyber came through the smoke, quickly taking advantage of the confusion. _"Delete! Delete! Delete! Delete!"_

Dalek Jast was the first one to be hit, and began to shake. _"Alert! Casing impaired! Casing impaired!"_

"Rose, get out!" The Doctor called as he pulled Ember with him toward an emergency blast door that was near the original doors.

_"Fire power insufficient!"_ Dalek Sek exclaimed as it was hit. _"Fire power insufficient!"_

Rose stumbled and fell, only to be shocked as Pete appeared at her side to help her up and out. Mickey dove for the gun he'd brought with him but had to discard when the Daleks arrived.

_"Daleks will be deleted!"_ The Cyber said as it continued to shoot. _"Delete. Delete!"_

"Mickey, come on!" Rose yelled.

_"Adapt to weaponry!"_ Dalek Jast said.

Dalek Sek stopped shaking._ "Fire power restored!"_

They were quick to take down the Cybers, one of them pushing Mickey as it stumbled. The young man ended up putting his hand on the Genesis Ark before he regained his footing and ran out of the room to join the others as they left the Cybers behind.

"Jake, check the stairwell!" The Doctor said as he closed the boat doors. "The rest of you, come on!"

"The Ark is active!" Ember called as they ran.

Mickey shook his hand to try to relieve the burning he'd felt when he touched the Ark. "I just fell, I didn't mean it!"

"Mickey, without us, they'd have opened it by force. To do that, they'd have blown up the sun." The Doctor didn't even stop running as he grabbed Mickey's head and kissed it. "You've done us a favour. Now, run!"

Ember grabbed Pete's arm. "Get ready!"

He didn't get the chance to ask what she meant when they turned a corner and stopped when they saw two Cybers standing in the middle of the corridor. Their backs were facing the group, so they couldn't see ahead of them, but they heard Jackie as she begged.

"No, but you can't! Please..."

Pete moved without thinking, taking the gun from Mickey and shooting both of the Cybers. It didn't take long for the smoke to clear to reveal Jackie standing several feet away.

Jackie's eyes widened as soon as she saw the man that looked just like her husband. "Pete?"

"Hello, Jacks."

"I said there were ghosts," Jackie called to the Doctor, "but that's not fair. Why him?"

Pete shook his head. "I'm not a ghost."

"But you're dead. You died twenty years ago, Pete."

The Doctor stepped forward. "It's Pete from a different universe. There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where-"

"Oh, you can shut up." Jackie cut him off and he wisely stepped back as she focused on Pete again. "Oh, you look old."

"You don't." Pete replied.

"How can you be standing there?"

"I just got lucky. Lived my life. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again, or..."

"There was never anyone else. Twenty years, though. Look at me. I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself."

"You brought her up." He gestured to Rose. "Rose Tyler. That's not bad."

"Yeah..."

"In my world, it worked. All those daft little plans of mine, they worked. Made me rich."

"I don't care about that." Jackie shook her head. "How rich?"

"Very."

"I don't care about that. How very?"

The Doctor grinned as he gently nudged Ember with his elbow. The brunette smiled in response.

"Thing is though, Jacks, you're not my wife." Pete said, Jackie nodding, but it was obvious that they weren't really believing it. "I'm sorry, but you're not. I mean, we both... You know, it's just sort of... Oh, come here."

He ran, tossing the gun aside. Jackie ran to meet him in the middle, both of them hugging each other tightly. Rose looked tearful as she watched her childhood fantasy come true; her parents back together.

Ember let them hug for a few moments longer before she nudged the Doctor. "Um, we should go. Here's a hint; we're going to need those Magnaclamps."

The Doctor nodded, urging the group to run again. They soon reached the doors to the warehouse, where they could hear gunfire of various kinds as well as Cybermen shouting _"Delete!"_

Opening the door just enough for them to peek inside without making themselves targets, the Doctor looked carefully inside the warehouse before he dove in, staying low as he made his way to the crate where he grabbed two of the large clamps they'd seen earlier, and then made his way back, stumbling over a downed Cyber but otherwise making it back to them unharmed. He put on the 3D glasses again as he looked back to watch Dalek Sek reach the centre of the room with the smoking Genesis Ark.

_"Override roof mechanism!"_ It said, causing the shutters that made up the roof of the warehouse slid open to reveal open sky. _"Elevate!"_

"What're they doing?" Rose asked. "Why do they need to get outside?"

"Time Lord science. What Time Lord science?" The Doctor murmured as he took off the glasses to watch the Dalek and Ark rise up out of the warehouse. "What is it?"

Ember nudged him again. "What are Time Lords known for, other than regeneration and time travel?"

The Doctor looked thoughtful before he took off back to the corridor, the rest of the group following. "We've got to see what it's doing. We've got to go back up. Come on! All of you, top floor!"

"That's forty five floors up!" Jackie said "Believe me, I've done them all."

There was a ding from behind them, and Jake stuck his head out with a grin. "We could always take the lift."

* * *

After taking the lift to the top floor, the group ran over to Yvonne's office and looked out of the window. Dalek Sec was several feet away and higher then them, but it was still close enough to see as the Ark had now opened and was spinning around, spitting out Dalek after Dalek in all directions.

"Time Lord science." The Doctor muttered, Ember's words making sense now. "It's bigger on the inside."

"Did the Time Lords put those Daleks in there?" Mickey asked. "What for?"

"It's a prison ship."

Rose watched with increasing dread. "How many Daleks?"

"Millions."

The Daleks spread out in formation all over London as Cybermen began to shoot into the sky at them. Humans were caught in the crossfire as they ran screaming, though only the Daleks shot at them with purpose. The Doctor took Ember's hand in his as they watched chaos erupt below.

"I'm sorry, but you've had it." Pete said at last, turning away from the window. "This world's going to crash and burn. There's nothing we can do. We're going home." He grabbed a spare yellow button from one of the commandoes. "Jacks, take this. You're coming with us."

Jackie looked surprised. "But they're destroying the city."

"I'd forgotten you could argue." Pete said as he slipped the chain of the yellow button over Jackie's head. "It's not just London, it's the whole world. But there's another world just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe as long as the Doctor closes the breach. Doctor?"

The Doctor turned around at that moment, his 3D glasses and a grin on his face. "Oh, I'm ready. I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood." He ran over to the nearest terminal and began to work on it. "Slam it down and close off both universes."

_"Reboot systems." _The computer droned.

"But we can't just leave." Rose said. "What about the Daleks? And the Cybermen?"

"They're part of the problem, and _that_ makes them part of the solution. Oh yes!" The Doctor turned to look at them. "Well? Isn't anyone going to ask what is it with the glasses? Not you, Ember, you already know."

Rose grinned in amusement. "What is it with the glasses?"

"I can _see_, that's what! Because we've got two separate worlds, but in between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here. And you lot, one world to another, via the Void. Oh, I like that. Via the Void. Look." He got distracted with his own words before he took the glasses off and put them on Rose. "I've been through it. Do you see?"

_"Reboot in three minutes."_

"What is it?" Rose asked, seeing the weird pink and green speckles that hovered around the Doctor as he bobbed and weaved.

"Void stuff."

"Like, Uh... background radiation."

"That's it. Look at the others." He turned her around to face the others, revealing that all but two were also covered in the speckles. "And the only ones who haven't been through the Void; Ember and your mother. First time your mom's looked normal in her life."

"Oi!" Jackie snapped, but went ignored.

"But the Daleks lived inside the Void. They're bristling with it. Cybermen, all of them. I just open the Void and reverse." The Doctor opened his arms at the white wall. "The Void stuff gets sucked back inside."

Rose caught on. "Pulling them all in!"

"Pulling them all in!"

"Sorry, what's the Void?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor looked at him. "The dead space. Some people call it Hell."

Ember felt a shiver go through her. For some reason, that name didn't sit right with her. But why?

"So you're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to Hell." Mickey summarised before he nudged Jake. "Man, I told you he was good."

"But it's like you said. We've all got Void stuff. Me too, because we went to that parallel world." Rose looked at her hand to see the speckles before she pulled off the glasses. "We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."

The Doctor lost his smile as he moved to stand before her. "That's why you've got to go."

_"Reboot in two minutes."_

"Back to Pete's world." He looked at Pete. "Hey, we should call it that. Pete's World." He met Rose's gaze evenly. "I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side."

"And then you close it, for good?" Pete asked.

"The breach itself is soaked in Void stuff. In the end it'll close itself. And that's it. Kaput."

Rose wasn't quite believing what she was hearing. "But you stay on this side?"

"But you'll get pulled in." Mickey added.

"That's why I got these." The Doctor picked up one of the Magnaclamps. "I'll just have to hold on tight. I've been doing it all my life."

"I'm supposed to go." Rose said.

The Doctor looked at her. "Yeah."

"To another world, and then it gets sealed off."

"Yeah."

"Forever." Rose shook her head. "That's not going to happen."

The building suddenly shook, and Pete spoke. "We haven't got time to argue. The plan works. We're going. You too. All of us."

"No, I'm not leaving here." Rose said.

"I'm not going without her." Jackie added.

Pete rolled his eyes. "Oh, my God. We're going!"

"I've had twenty years without you, so button it. I'm not leaving her!"

"You've got to." Rose said.

"Well, that's tough!"

"Mum." Rose turned to face her, her back to the Doctor and Ember. "I've had a life with you for nineteen years, but then I met the Doctor, and all the things I've seen him and Ember do for me, for you, for all of us. For the whole stupid planet and every planet out there." She didn't see the Doctor pull his yellow button from his pocket, but Pete did and got ready. "They do it alone, mum. But not anymore, because now they've got me." She felt him slip it over her head. "What're you-"

Pete hit the button, and everyone except Ember and the Doctor disappeared, leaving to two Time Lords alone.

The Doctor solemnly went to the terminal to get back to work, only to blink when Ember spoke. "She's coming back."

"How?"

Before Ember could answer, Rose suddenly reappeared where she'd been standing. "I think this is the on switch."

The Doctor quickly walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders. "Once the breach collapses, that's it. You will never be able to see her again. Your own mother!"

"I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never going to leave you." Rose told him evenly. "So what can I do to help?"

_"Systems rebooted. Open access."_

"Those coordinates over there, set them all at six." He said, pointing to the other terminal. "And hurry up."

Rose went over to the terminal, taking off her yellow button. She was quick to notice a security camera and what was on it. "We've got Cybermen on the way up."

"How many floors down?"

"Just one."

"Don't worry about them," they looked at Ember as she spoke from where she'd gone to the third terminal. She couldn't really do anything, since she wasn't as tech savvy as others, so she just watched the camera feed as the Cybers were stopped at the top of the stairs by one of their own: one who used to be Yvonne Hartman. "They're busy. But we have to hurry!"

_"Levers operational."_

Rose saw the Doctor finally smiling and gave one of her own. "That's more like it. Bit of a smile. The old team."

"Hope and Glory, Mutt and Jeff," The Doctor rattled off as he picked up one of the clamps and handed it to her. "Shiver and Shake."

"Which one's Shiver?"

"Oh, I'm Shake." He picked up the other clamp and directed Rose to go to the wall near one lever while he pulled Ember with him to the other, placing the clamps against the walls. "Press the red button. When it starts, just hold on tight. Shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and the Cybermen are steeped in Void stuff. Are you ready?"

Rose nodded, but then paled as she caught sight of several Daleks hovering outside he window. "So are they."

"Let's do it!" The Doctor and Rose pushed the levers up and quickly ran over to their respective clamps.

_"Online."_

The breach opened with a bright light and a strong wind rushed into it, sucking the first Daleks through the windows and into itself. The Doctor and Rose could feel the pull even as they held on tight.

"Emergency!" A Dalek screeched as it was sucked in, and it wasn't long before Cybers were also getting sucked in.

"The breach is open!" The Doctor yelled over the wind. "Into the Void! Ha!"

Then, the lever on Rose's side shifted a little. _"__Offline."_

The suction began to decrease, the Daleks and Cybers slowing down, and Ember made a decision. She couldn't just watch.

She moved out from where the Doctor had her between him and the wall, at the same time as Rose let go of her clamp. The two women reached the lever at the same time, using their combined strength to push it back up into position. Ember knew that the Doctor and Rose were saying something, but she couldn't hear them over the noise.

_"Online and locked."_ The computer stated as the suction picked up, pulling the Daleks and Cybers in at full speed once again. Rose was being pulled horizontally towards the breach, holding the locked lever with everything she had. Her grip slipped and her heart skipped, only for Ember to reach out and grab her arm, using her other arm to hold the lever to her body to provide a better grounding for them.

"Ember! Let go, or you'll get pulled in too!" Rose yelled, just loud enough for Ember to hear her.

"No way!" She called back. "I'm not letting go! We're _not_ losing you!"

Rose looked partly relieved, but then she saw something behind Ember and her eyes widened. "Look out!"

Ember turned to look, and was only able to see the Dalek flying right at her a split second before it clipped her on the head, sending her to the ground and forcing her to let go of not only the lever but Rose as well.

As she lay there, barely conscious and with a burning, blinding pain in the side of her head, she heard a scream and then two words that filled her with dread even as the winds stopped and all went still.

_"Systems closed."_

Then it all went black.

* * *

_"Are you sure about this?"_

_"Can she really do it?"_

_"What if she turns on us?"_

_"If we fail... then gods have mercy on us all..."_

* * *

When Ember woke up next, she found herself in her bed, in her room in the Tardis. She felt groggy, like she had the flu or had been drugged up, but she moved her head just enough to the right to see the Doctor sat on her desk chair that he'd brought over to the bedside so he could sit there. His head was bowed and his hands were clasped together. "... Doctor..."

The Doctor jerked upright at the sound of her raspy voice. He looked quite haggered, like he hadn't slept for longer than even a Time Lord would consider healthy. "Ember. Thank god. Are you alright?"

"What... happened..." Ember began, only for the memories to come rushing back. The lever room. The Dalek. Rose. The last thought made her sit up with a cry. "Rose!" Only to flinch as the left side of her head throbbed painfully at the sudden movement. "Agh... where's Rose?"

The Doctor's face fell as he looked away, and Ember felt a stone of shame settle in her stomach. "In the parallel world. Pete came back and grabbed her at the last moment. She's gone."

Ember looked down at her lap, tears building up in her eyes. "No... I'm sorry! I tried to stop it! I'm so sorry!"

She was left alone for a moment as she wept, only to stiffen when she felt the Doctor move to hug her. She wanted to push him away, but couldn't muster up the strength to do so, so she listened to his hearts beating in an effort to calm herself down.

"Don't blame yourself." He murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "It isn't your fault. You tried to save her, even though it almost cost you too. I'm... just grateful that you're ok..."

Ember didn't believe him. She knew he was heartbroken over the fact that he'd lost Rose forever, even if he had tried to initially send her away himself. And now that she'd failed to save her, the Doctor had someone to blame.

They remained that way for a few moments more before she finally was able to push him away. He let her go without a fuss, sitting back down on the chair. "Doctor... there's still a chance that you can say goodbye. A supernova. It won't be enough to travel through, but you can send a signal for her to follow."

"We can do that soon," The Doctor said softly. "But first, I want to make sure your injury doesn't get infected."

Ember blinked, puzzled, and was about to ask what he meant when she felt the left side of her head throb again. It also came to her attention that her left cheek felt dry while her right was damp with tears. She lifted a hand to check, and was just able to feel what seemed to be a dressing over her left cheek before the Doctor gently pulled her hand away. "Wha..."

"I've always wondered where it came from, but I guess we've got the answer now..."

* * *

Rose had heard the Doctor's voice calling to her in her dreams, and she and her family made their way to Norway, where she waited at the beach, and was surprised when the Doctor appeared out of thin air to her left, see-through like a ghost.

"Where are you?" She asked.

"Inside the Tardis." The Doctor replied. "There's one tiny little gap in the Universe left, just about to close, and it takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a super nova. I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

"You look like a ghost."

"Hold on." He pointed his Sonic at seemingly nothing, but was really the Tardis console. His image solidified.

Rose approached him, lifting a hand only to hesitate. "Can I-"

"I'm still just an image. No touch."

"Can't you come through properly?"

"The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse."

"So?" Rose joked with a small laugh.

"Where are we?" The Doctor asked, looking around. On the Tardis was a screen that showed where Rose was. "Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway."

"Norway. Right."

"About fifty miles out of Burgen. It's called 'Darlig Ulv Stranden'."

The Doctor stiffened. "Dalek?"

"Darlig." Rose corrected. "It's Norwegian for bad. This translates as Bad Wolf Bay. How long have we got?"

"About three minutes. Ember got us some more time by giving me an idea about where to go."

"Where is she? Is she alright?"

The Doctor looked behind him and held out his hand, and then Ember appeared next to him. Rose's eyes widened when she saw the brunette. She was wearing her singed denim jacket, a black shirt, dark blue jeans and red converse, but there was one new detail.

Ember now had a scar on her left cheek, starting from just next to her nose to go horizontally about an inch under her eye, stopping at the edge of her cheekbone before turning sharply to go down her cheek in a diagonal line. A smaller version of it was just inside it, though it was a little more curved than the larger one. The whole thing looked almost like a stylised pair of the number 7 had been carved into her face, or like something with big teeth had tried to bite her, and it was obvious that it had not long been healed: the edges were still slightly red. If it had been an inch higher, she'd have lost her left eye; if it had been an inch lower or deeper, it would have torn out her cheek right to the bone.

"Hi, Rose." She said with a tight smile. "Look what I got now."

Rose blinked. "You never told me... no wonder you cried around me after you got that... I'm sorry..."

Ember shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I thought I could save you, but I messed up."

"I was able to save her eye, but..." the Doctor said, trailing off. "At least we know now where it came from." He looked behind Rose at where Jackie, Pete and Mickey were waiting by a Jeep a short distance away. "You've still got Mister Mickey, then?"

"There's five of us now. Mum, Dad, Mickey... and the baby."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "You're not..."

"No. It's mum. She's three months gone. More Tylers on the way."

"And what about you? Are you..."

"Yeah, I'm back working in the shop."

"Oh, good for you..."

"Shut up." Rose laughed. "No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet. It's open for business. I think I know a thing or two about aliens."

"Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth. You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead. Here you are, living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

Ember looked away. "I'm, um, I'll give you two a minute." She disappeared before either of them could stop her.

Rose bit her lip. "Am I ever going to see you again?"

"You can't."

"What're you going to do?"

"Oh, I've got the Tardis, and Ember. Same old life, last of the Time Lords."

"On your own, just you two..." Rose shook her head. "Don't let her wallow, ok? She probably thinks you hate her, knowing her..."

"Yea," The Doctor murmured. "And I suppose, if it's one last chance to say it, Rose Tyler-"

The Doctor's image vanished, leaving Rose alone on the beach to burst into tears as her mother ran to comfort her.

On the Tardis, the Doctor shed a tear and had to take a moment to collect himself before he turned to face the console. Ember was sat on the captain's chair, staring at the ground.

"I'm sorry," she said as she heard him walk to the console and start setting controls. "I should have left earlier. Given you more time to say it to her..."

The Doctor looked at her in puzzlement, wondering what she was talking about, but then something else caught his eye. He looked toward the doors, only to blink at the most unusual sight.

A woman in a wedding dress complete with veil was standing on the ramp, her back to them.

"What?" He blurted without thinking.

Ember looked up as the woman turned around, revealing none other than Donna Noble, though the Doctor didn't know that yet. "Oh!"

"What?"

"Who are you?" Donna demanded.

"But-"

"Where am I, eh?"

"What?"

"What the hell is this place?!"

"What?!"

* * *

And there we have it! The end of series one of the Storms of Fire saga! I hope I've done well with it, and I hope you guys are looking forward to seeing the next series! For those of you who saw the preview I posted before I started this series, you will have noticed that not all of it was shown yet. But don't worry; it's something to look forward to in the future!

Here's a preview, like I did before I started this whole thing. Afterwards, I also have the question.

* * *

Coming up in the next series of the Storms of Fire saga...

_"Hel-lo, Firebird!"_

**I'm here, but I still don't know why...**

_"... he's going to be reminded of that every time he looks at me..."_

**I don't even know what I am...**

_"You are the most important... in the universe..."_

**But I'm powerful, and dangerous. And someone who could save this world or lay it to waste...**

_"We've already seen what she can do when she can control it..."_

**Am I safe to be around?**

_"Come back to me..."_

_"I am the Great Fire, the Mother of Elements, and I order you to choose!"_

**When the time comes...**

_"I don't want to lose you..."_

_"It's time to show you what you really are..."_

_"Ember!"_

**What's going to happen?**

* * *

And there we go! A preview of Series Two!

Here's the question I mentioned earlier: should I include the special episodes? This means ones like Voyage of the Damned, Last Christmas and Christmas Carol. There is one or two that I'm planning to skip for a reason, but I'm not sure about the rest. Let me know what you'd like, please! I need as many opinions as possible if I wanna make the next one good!

Ok, hope to see you soon for the start of Series Two!


	21. Storms of Fire 2 Out Now!

Just in case there are those who have only this work on their alert list, I'm gonna put it here that the next Series is up now!

It's titled Storms of Fire: Awakening

Hope to hear from you there soon!


End file.
